


Discord

by Hikari_Murasaki



Category: League of Legends
Genre: (actually just one planned), Adventure, Chronological, Conversations, Friendship, Gen, I have no idea where this is going, I really need a better name for this fiasco, Mentions of disturbing killings, Minor Swearing, My Ionia Headcanon, When I'm bored, but delivered in (what I assume to be) a serious tone, everyone is nice (I can't do convincing villainy), like seriously, more seemingly unrelated champs will be involved, no longer compliant with current League canon, sorry about the title, super ooc, this is very silly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-19
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-05-27 17:03:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 53,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6292639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hikari_Murasaki/pseuds/Hikari_Murasaki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Virtuoso has escaped captivity, and is now coming back to his homeland, to deliver the finest masterpiece of his time. The Master of Shadows was the only one aware of it and was determined to stop his killing spree for good. Meanwhile, the spirit realm is growing restless. Demon sightings have increased ever since the war with Noxus occurred. Combined with the political instability and foreign involvement, Ionia's recently reclaimed peace is now, once again, under threat. And this time, it will be much worse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: the Zed lost his Shadow arc

**Author's Note:**

> Zed somehow ended up losing his Shadow. I have no idea how.  
> This was written on a spur because Jhin's reveal was cool. Somehow it developed into a sort-of running plot, I have no idea.  
> The newest extended lore's events are not canon in this story, because this whole storyline was made up well before Rito's untimely release of the official lore. Sorry (the lore is cool, though, in my opinion).

"Hmm, did you hear that, Lulu?" asked Vladimir as he heard a thumping noise.

Lulu pursed her lips

"Yeah,"

"Something's wrong?"

"Yeah," said Lulu. She began gliding on her wand, with Vladimir following short. In his opinion, getting lost in the woods was not a good idea, but he trusted in Lulu's sense of direction. Believe it or not, _Lulu does not get lost._

After five minutes Lulu stopped. Vladimir glanced around. Trees were cut down, knife marks across their bodies. Some shurikens were scattered about.

"Oh dear," said Vlad "what is an Ionian doing here?"

"Something is wrong." Lulu affirmed.

"I'll look for a vital sign," said the Hemomancer. He could detect a faint sign of life just around that bush.

Vladimir carefully made his approach. After confirming what was there, he sighed in defeat.

"Lulu," he called, and not waiting for the yordle's reply, he said "we have a situation."

* * *

Vladimir hauled off the ninja's body down his bed.

"So let me get this straight," he began "you want me to house Zed, the Master of the freaking Order of Shadows, treat his wounds in the heart of Noxus, ignoring any implications and danger his appearance here may produce or even the fact that my life can be endangered?"

Lulu smiled apologetically

"Other than the last part, yeah. Mr. Zed won't hurt you if he knows you helped him."

"What I know about him suggests otherwise. As far as I'm concerned, this man detests weakness. Guess what he'd do if he'd gained yet another witness."

"He won't. I know he won't."

Vladimir sighed "I don't trust Ionians, you know."

"It's not as if you trust everyone," Lulu shot back.

"No, that is unwise," Vladimir agreed "what I'm trying to say is, I don't trust _him_. By the way, if you know any other scary people who might show up unconscious around Noxus I'd really appreciate a list."

The yordle laughed "Telling the truth, I did not expect this."

"Well, I'd better get started. Honestly though, I'm more wary of whoever did this to him," said the Hemomancer "do you or Pix have any idea who he is?"

"No idea," said Lulu "and I don't like this anymore than you do."

"Wonderful,"

* * *

Zed slowly opened his eyes.

He'd been defeated. He'd shown weakness.

His temper flared. He was too weak. Weakness could not be accepted.

But where was he?

The Master of Shadows was aware (somehow) all of his wounds were fully healed, and he could move his limbs with a little difficulty. He was lying in a non-Ionian styled bedroom decorated in red…

"Oh, you are awake," an aloof voice greeted him.

His gaze snapped to the newcomer. The tall man had white hair, pale skin and sharp silver eyes. He was smirking.

"Vladimir," Zed growled.

"Afternoon," said the mage "water? Food?"

All the blood mage got in return was a glare.

"Come now, why are all Ionians so dead on humorless?" Vladimir complained, setting a tray down the left nightstand. There was a glass of water and a bowl of steaming congee "I don't poison food. That is an underhanded tactic."

"Why am I here?"

"Ah," Vladimir drew a chair and sat down next to the bed "shouldn't I be the one to ask that question?"

He got yet another glare

"Long story short, you were injured, Lulu and I found you, she talked me into healing you, boom. Are you sure you don't want some food? Your blood is lacking nutrition."

"You can heal," was the first thing that came to his mind. Not the greatest reaction, but hardly unjustified; homicidal blood magic was not equal to healing capabilities in his book.

"Yes. I can control the substance running through you, in whatever way possible." Vladimir replied patiently.

Zed looked at the mage again. He looked smaller and less intimidating without the large red coat and the claws, yet Zed did not doubt the power was still there. He even thought that this smiling politely Vladimir was twice as dangerous.

"You know, you're really formidable. Your pulse did not even flinch even when you are feeling threatened," Vladimir remarked.

"I'm not feeling threatened."

"Suit yourself," he shrugged "I do suggest you eat, though. You are seriously calling for some calories."

Zed grumbled, but he gave in. He was hungry, he'd give Vladimir that. And that congee smelled delicious.

* * *

"So, any idea who your assailant was?" asked Vladimir after the assassin finished his meal.

Zed frowned

"I'm not sure. It was an ambush. I was caught off-guarded. But I'm sure I've never seen that sort of power before. He was using some sort of magical gun."

"Hextech," Vladimir fixed "or Techmaturgy, if you prefer. Why were you in Noxus in the first place?"

"I got a note. It told me to come here."

"What? And you decided to do what it said?"

"I was unaware the note was slipped in. You will understand if I find it highly alarming."

"Someone outdo you, and you think it's a good idea to give in? Okay, if I were you, I'd never have taken such an obvious trap."

Zed ignored the remark "You said Lulu wanted you to help me."

"Yes. She had to leave, unfortunately, and was sorry she couldn't attend to you. Apparently she was befriending you as well, huh?"

"Sort of. She just can't be turned away."

"I know that feeling, man." Vladimir's smile implied something – he just couldn't figure out what in this state "your weapons are in the living room. I'm taking your suit to the laundry, so you're wearing my shirt. Don't worry - no striped pants."

"You… undressed me?"

Vladimir burst out cackling

"Are you the Master of being insecure?"

"Shut up!" said Zed, regretting his stupid words immediately. Of course he'd have to do that. It was just that… he'd not been _taken care of_ in a long time.

Vladimir shrugged (what an easy going guy)

"The living room is downstairs. Turn left. I'll be cleaning the dishes. If you feel up to it, I mean."

"I can walk, thank you" said Zed sarcastically.

* * *

Vladimir was already in the living room with a glass of wine and a book when Zed entered.

"Wine?" the mage asked.

"I don't drink."

"Oh."

"Alcohol deludes one's mind."

"Ah," Vladimir said thoughtfully "you Ionians are dull, as always."

"Don't _you_ get drunk?"

"If I so choose."

Zed picked up his blades from the table. He frowned. The blade felt somewhat strange to his clutch. Normally a rush of excitement would accompany carrying them – and yet…

As if noticing is uneasiness, Vladimir asked

"Is there something wrong?"

"Do you often read people like that?" asked Zed.

"One's blood does not lie. I can even tell the slightest change. You are a tricky one, however. Throughout your whole time awake your pulse stays unnaturally even. The mask may have helped with the facial expressions. Yet I reckon if someone like you makes a facial expression, something serious is happening."

"You are a handful with words," said Zed with half a smile "where's my mask?"

"Ah. That. It was gone."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You weren't wearing it when I found you. I'd assume the assailant had taken it."

Something was wrong about all of this.

He checked the blades again.

"Just so you know, the bill is on you if you lash out on any of my furniture,' said Vladimir "please, keep it down. Noxians are enough destruction of property any day."

Zed couldn't help a chuckle

"You're pretty funny, you know that?"

"Of course. Thanks for the compliment, anyhow. Is there anything I may do to assist you?"

"Is there anything I may do to assist you?" was a question he'd not heard in quite a while. He should have felt indignant that he was offered help (but that could be for later). Then, he only felt curious.

"Why are you helping me?"

"As I've said, Lulu asked me to help you. And she's my friend. I will do what I can to make her happy."

"Your… friend?"

"Yes, my friend," said Vladimir with a pleasant smile. Zed forcefully reminded himself this man was an unrepentant killer with an innate bloodlust. He was not supposed to be a nice, yordle-loving man.

And yet, Vladimir didn't seem to lie.

"Thank you, I guess," said Zed carefully.

"You're welcome, Master of Shadows. If you can already walk without any issues, you may want to accompany me to where you were found unconscious. Maybe it would give you some clue?"

Good idea.

"Alright, sounds like a plan. But first, I need to change out of this… aristocratic clothing. How's the laundry going?"

* * *

It turned out that Vladimir didn't do his own laundry, which is understandable enough, and had a laundry service catering to him weekly. The clothes and Zed's suit would not be available in a day. The blood mage said that one of his acquaintances introduced him to a new Piltoverian invention named "washing machine", which (surprise!) washed clothes automatically, and that he was planning to purchase this appliance when it was produced commercially. Then, he'd be able to watch over his own laundry.

"It's really surprising sometimes what those hextech geniuses can do, even though mostly they make no sense."

Zed shrugged. Ionians weren't so well versed in technology anyhow.

"So I have to wear this?"

"I hope it's not too uncomfortable. I picked clothes which I find least inhibiting physical movements."

"Yeah, it just feels strange. You seem to like doing things by yourself."

"I like cooking, books and wine. That's all there is, I guess. Turn right here."

They'd walked close to the border of the city when there was a yell.

"What the…"

"It seems like there was a robbery. I can sense a lot of blood," Vladimir observed "There are five of them, armed, heading our way. Seems like there were casualties…"

"Do things like this happen everyday?"

"Noxus is a lively place," Vladimir smirked "oh, there you are!" he exclaimed, to the group of robbers which just showed up "Stealing isn't nice, you know."

"This is Noxus! We're stronger, we take! Don't you dare stand in our way!"

"You are not strong, my dear. You steal, and that makes you a coward."

"You want to die, don't you?"

Zed hissed "and do you often challenge thieves and robbers like this?"

"If they run into me, yes,' Vladimir smiled amiably "as I've told you, I dislike underhanded tactics. That includes stealing."

The first thief charged their way was met with a swift kick from the Master of Shadows. In a split second, he was disarmed and lethally stabbed in the neck.

"If you would,' said Vladimir.

The others began closing in, weapons ready. Zed smirked. It wouldn't have wasted him over two seconds. He unleashed his blade and took down one, dodged the second's blade and called upon his shadows to evade the third.

The wrongness returned.

He couldn't summon his shadows.

Zed reacted in time too late and was kicked in the shin, but he held his ground and retaliated. He didn't need shadows to handle these imbeciles.

He didn't notice throwing knives headed his way until Vladimir intervened. Immediately, crimson liquid flushed from the two robbers in time to block the projectiles.

"You are distracted." Vladimir stated. He approached the knife thrower, who now cowered in fear "now, what do I do with you?"

"No, please!"

"The strong shall live, you said. Shall we rectify that?"

Zed didn't fail to notice how Vladimir genuinely enjoyed killing, as if it was a natural urge. The way the man's pupils dilated; how he looked at the blood gushing out of his victims… it spoke of satisfaction. This man craved to see blood spilled.

Vladimir turned around, smiling politely again.

"Oh hey, sorry for the mess. It happens, sometimes. But what is wrong with you? These robbers shouldn't have been able to touch a strand of your hair."

Zed frowned "I can't summon my shadows."

"You _what?_ "

"You heard me perfectly, and I don't like repeating."

"I see," said the Hemomancer "that was what was bothering you. Do you think it was the attacker?"

"I'm pretty sure it was," said Zed "I just don't know how."

"I think I do," said Vladimir "your shadow is _literally_ gone."

The assassin took a deep breath after looking at his feet. He hissed "Shit."

The day could not have gotten any weirder.

* * *

"This is where we found you," said Vladimir, showing the assassin the battle field "ringing any bell?"

"I don't have amnesia, so no." Zed said. He looked down the ground, still troubled by the lack of a shadow under his feet. What was he, Peter Pan?

"This ammunition is strange. Very strange," Vladimir commented "I've never seen anything like this."

"Careful! There are traps around!" Zed warned.

"Traps? No wonder you were outmatched."

"Yeah. He can bind people who step on his traps with a pinkish stroke of power."

"Hmm, most intriguing. _They_ also didn't recognize him."

" _They?"_

"The former Hemomancers," Vladimir explained absentmindedly "it seems this guy is a rising star."

Right, the Hemomancer was actually a collection identities, Zed noted.

"What does he do? Stealing people's powers?"

"Maybe not for his usage, but apparently he did. He seems powerful enough on his own."

"Whatever his purpose, I need my shadow back."

"Right," Vladimir concurred "have you managed to spill his blood?"

"No, of course he's not dead yet!"

"No, I mean, did you make him bleed?"

"Oh," said Zed "I did."

"Can I see it?"

The assassin handed him the blade. He could still make out the faint blood stain on the metal edge – red. Whatever it was, it was a man. He could handle a man.

Vladimir seemed to be taking sniffs out of the blade

"Hey, you're not gonna taste that, are you?"

"Of course not," said Vladimir, looking at him strangely. The blood stain suddenly liquidized and rolled off the blade in a drop "this is good enough a sample. I will conduct a scan to find the person with this blood in their veins. If you'd wait just a moment…"

* * *

"I got the location," Vladimir announced. The Hemomancer had been in sort of a trance, Zed guessed, some kind of blood clairvoyance. It seemed to have done the job "it's within Demacia territory though. We have some walking to do."

"Demacia? How did he travel so fast?"

"Not exactly 'too fast', you've been unconscious for about a day."

"A day?" Zed exclaimed.

The mage shrugged "a lesser man shouldn't have been able to stand for a week. You are sure a sturdy one."

"Well that comes with the line of work," said Zed drily "give me the exact location. I'll come looking for him…"

"Wow there, hold the freaking phone…"

"Phone?"

"Seriously, you don't know what a phone is? Anyhow, you're not going alone, unless you want to die and stuff."

"Last time I was careless. I know what he can do now. This is my personal matter. I will deal with it accordingly."

"You're walking into his territory _without your powers,_ may I remind you? Are you obstinate or are you stupid?"

"Then what do I do? Asking for help?" Zed retorted before he knew it. He did not intend to say that, but it rang true nevertheless. No one would want to help him.

Except the mage before him didn't have the same idea

"Uh, you're truly dense, aren't you? What've I been doing for the past two days again?"

"What? Because Lulu wanted you to?"

"Because you are an important friend to Lulu, and she is an important friend of mine," said Vladimir in an understanding tone "Zed, it takes a lot of strength to admit you are vulnerable. And I know you hate being vulnerable. But now is the time you are, and you have to cope up with it. You lost your power. You cooperate with someone to get it back. It's simple as that."

_I wished it was that simple._

"I guess," Zed breathed. He needed control. Vladimir was still right, practically without his shadows, he would stand no chance against this assailant. He needed back up. And a Hemomancer didn't sound too bad "did you say Demacia?"

"Yes, I did. And he was being quite open as well, walking around the city like that."

"Alright. How long does it take to travel to Demacia?"

"Walking? Pretty long. However an associate of mine provides portal services to other nations."

" _Illegal_ portal services, you mean."

"Non-state organized transportation portals," Vladimir adhered "but yes, sort of illegal. I've already commissioned a portal, what do you say we go get what I paid for?"

"Sounds like a plan," said Zed "and by the way, what's a phone?"

* * *

Twenty minutes later the unlikely duo of assassin and caster appeared a mile within the heart of Demacia. Zed was still indignant how a phone had nothing to do with the conversation they'd had before, though he must admit this… phone sounded really convenient. Vladimir claimed "hold the phone" was just an expression…

"No offense, but do all Ionians live under a rock?"

"Some does, but mostly they prefer to live on top of rocks."

Vladimir didn't bother hiding his chuckle

"Honest advice? You need to hang out more."

"Hang out?"

"As in, going outside and seeing how the world works. I'm always getting the impression you Ionians are old people in seemingly young bodies."

"Well I suppose that is true…"

"Literally true?"

Zed snorted "Certainly not," he began looking around more closely "isn't it kind of crowded?"

"Oh, yeah," said Vladimir casually "there's a demonstration of a certain Sona Buvelle today. She's also Ionian, I'm told."

"The Maven's concert? How did you know of this?"

"I may or may not have overheard Swain discussing it with his bird," said the Hemomancer sheepishly.

Zed laughed "Fair enough, is he close?"

"Yeah, just around the corner. I can sense his pulse now," Vladimir paused "well, I'd be damned. His pulse is just like yours, albeit even _slower._ Is he an Ionian?"

"What, are Ionian heartbeats different from others?" Zed asked tauntingly.

"As a matter of fact, yes. Ionian's are generally calmer, second beat less distinguishable, and extremely stable if you are a ninja… which you are."

"Creepy," said Zed "you'd be the scariest stalker I've ever known. Blood stalking is a _thing…"_

The Master of Shadows paused. The air, it reeked of a presence so familiar…

He felt his heart skip a beat.

Vladimir looked at him, dropping the signature smirk

"Zed?" he asked with a touch of wariness.

"It can't be." Zed whispered despite his pride.

There was no way _he_ could have… there was not a chance…

Then again, if he thought about it, not anyone would have been able to sneak up on him.

"Zed? What's wrong?" asked Vladimir again. That helped him regain control.

If that was indeed _him,_ then why was he here? What would that man be interested in? Art… Art!

"Vladimir, is Jhin close to Buvelle's concert?!"

The Hemomancer raised an eyebrow curiously

"If 'Jhin' means the guy we are looking for, then yes, he's just around the corner. The performance will be held at a clear area – turn right in two blocks."

"We've got to hurry," said Zed "now!"

Vladimir seemed like he had questions, but nodded. If something could upset the Master of Shadows, it must be pretty urgent. He sank into a Sanguine Pool to match the assassin's sprints.

* * *

The mysterious man watched the Maven from a distance. Take a second to look awesome, time to go. Walk in slow motion, so you still look awesome… wait, we're getting ahead of ourselves.

He sneered. Yet another Ionian who misused her exotic talents. Her art, it was too hopeful, too full of life, it was not real art. She lacked the cruelty that made his masterpieces beautiful, and yet these blind people were drawn to her.

She'd see. No one would usurp his beauty.

Her connection with the Etwahl was impressive, nevertheless. That only brought him more disappointment. If she would only show them, how perfectly terrifying the thing could have been.

Too concentrated was he on Sona Buvelle that he barely managed to dodge the shurikens heading his way. They seared past his skin, drawing a touch of his blood.

The man smirked. Only a handful of people could do that to him.

"Ah, Zed," he addressed the angry ninja "you caught up."

"Jhin," Zed growled "how did you escape?"

"Art cannot be stopped, Zed. You've never understood this. There will always be willing audience," Jhin stated "I see you have changed too. No longer working with that old man's _precious_ son."

"Right, which _willing audience_ let you out again?"

"I'm afraid my audience's identity will have to remain a secret. You know, customer's confidentiality. But why are you so upset about it?"

"I think you know why. You stole my shadow. I want it back."

"Ah, yes," Jhin spoke slowly "I'm sorry I was being so rude. I should have had a chat, for old time's sake. But you can see I have a tight schedule to run."

"I don't give a damn. Give me my shadow back!"

"I'm afraid it will not do," said Jhin "my desire is to make you beautiful. Your shadow is a necessary means to that end."

"I don't have time for your games, Jhin. My shadow,"

The "artist" didn't reply immediately. He looked over Zed's shoulder

"You have a companion, a Noxian! Oh, how far have you strayed? Hello, Noxian. Do you know how many boring performances I have been asked to perform at your nation?"

Vladimir smiled, rising from the blood pool

"Oh, I think I've heard of you. High Command had been buzzing about it. Some time ago there was a serial killer at Noxus, killing four prominent figures and arranging them in grotesque artful scenes. Rumor was that it scared the Command into a truce with Ionia. You were called the Death Virtuoso, if I'm not mistaken."

"Oh yes, what did you think about them?" Jhin spoke in quite a passionate tone "so glad to find someone aware of my masterpieces. Do excuse me, you are?"

"Vladimir, Hemomancer," said Vladimir pleasantly "you didn't have this fancy gun back then."

Jhin's eyes glinted "You realized? You must be a professional yourself."

"Well my tastes aren't that sophisticated…"

"Vladimir! We are not here to discuss the art of homicides!"

The mage blinked

"Oh, yes. A pity. Anyhow, nice gun."

"Vladimir!"

"Thank you," Jhin replied in the same civil tone "my countrymen can be so humorless sometimes."

The mage nodded

"You have no idea. Anyhow, you'll need to give the Master of Shadows his shadow back. So he can be the Master of Shadows and stuff."

"And why are you interested in this affair?"

"Because I think Zed is the safer option if I have to place shadow powers into anyone's hand," Vladimir replied "case and point, you don't even need his powers to be OP, just give it back. Then, you can do whatever you want with Sona Buvelle."

The three of them stared at each other in silence (for different reasons)

"I see. How disappointing," Jhin said, pulling out his gun "I was hoping you'd truly changed, at heart. But no, you are still the same man intent on killing me all those years ago. Very well, _I_ will make you perfect."

* * *

As the first shot was fired, the crowd erupted in silent terror.

"One," said Jhin. How he had missed having _direct audience_. This would be fantastic.

He looked at the gash Zed gave him and smirked. Hemomancer, huh?

"Well, you have a psychopathic serial killer/artist now?" asked Vladimir, irony in his tone "wonderful. What've I just got myself into again?"

"Says the guy who's just been having a chat with him on artistic homicides," Zed retorted, drawing his blades.

"Hey, you've got to at least be polite," Vladimir protested in mock indignation "anything I should watch out for?"

"Do what you can to dodge the fourth shot. Mind the traps. Just… watch out for the fourth of anything…"

"This guy has a four fetish, doesn't he?"

"Tell me about it," Zed grumbled "I'm taking him. Try to not stand in my way."

"Duly noted. After you."

The assassin charged.

"Two," Jhin's mask was still smiling that punch-able smile. Zed dodged the bullet with a maneuver. He slashed at the Virtuoso, who took a step back to dodge. The onslaught continued, Jhin must not have an opening.

"I see the scar I've given you had not dwindled through time."

"Well it's a scar, you fool. Scars don't heal."

"Ready to have _another?"_

The ground under his feet flared. He cursed "Shit."

Before Jhin could root him, a tide of blood had intervened. Zed noticed the blood was drawn from Jhin's wounds.

The Virtuoso laughed

"Three."

Then he shot himself at the wound.

"Watch out, Zed!"

Jhin shot first.

"Four!"

A blinding light accompanied the shot. Zed guarded himself.

"You're very quick," said Jhin to the Hemomancer.

Zed realized Vladimir had drawn his own blood to block the explosive fourth shot. He took back a step to converse with his 'partner'.

"Is it fine, drawing your blood like that?" asked Zed. Vladimir hummed.

"I've had worse," said the caster "my blood can clear the ground of traps. It'll be better if you can make him bleed – drawing out his blood would take less effort then."

"That's why he shot himself?"

"Yeah, the blasts deny my magic. I can't draw blood from that point anymore."

"I can't be faster than him without my shadow," said Zed "he gets faster after each shot. See anything?"

"He's limited to four shots at once, which means he needs to recharge the gun, manually," Vladimir observed "it takes about two seconds. If you wait for the opening, we can overpower him."

The assassin nodded "I don't like letting him fire that fourth shot though."

"Me neither. So destructive, and fancy as well. See, the blood I used was turned into some ash flowers. What a weird ass guy."

"One,"

Both of them quickly sidestepped the bullet.

Jhin was holding out a small box.

"My shadow!" Zed said. He could feel it squirming against the inside of the container.

Oh how he would love to skin this guy before he could say "art".

"Yes, your precious shadow," said Jhin "how hard will it be for the _Master of Shadows_ to not have a shadow at all?"

"I will kill you this time." Zed said coldly "he is not here to stop me now."

"We shall see, ninja," Jhin aimed his gun "Come take what is yours."

Zed didn't need a second invitation.

"Stick to the plan. Corner him, and wait for the fourth shot," he thought "control, Zed."

Zed was a better close-to-mid range combatant overall, but the Virtuoso had stood his ground fairly well for a hunchback cyborg who often plan his attacks rather than charging into fights. Nevertheless, the Master of Shadows was a more prominent fighter, _and_ with the help of a backline, Jhin knew he was overpowered.

Zed let the Virtuoso fight two shots at Vladimir's blood attacks and left two deep gashes on him so that the blood mage could utilize his blood. Any moment now, he needed to act fast.

Realizing the fact he was at a disadvantage, Jhin tossed the box into the air as Zed slashed him across the chest. Blood spilled, and…

"You want your Shadow, Zed?" the Virtuoso took aim at the box.

"No!" Zed cried out, alarmed.

"The curtain calls, Master of Shadows. Four!"

The box exploded in flowers of ashes.

The next thing Zed knew, his world was consumed in darkness.

* * *

"Oh, Zed. You fail to understand. I did not steal the Shadow, it _left_ you."

"You'd do yourself a favor and refrain from any ideas," said Vladimir, his voice now menacing. Entered the homicidal, dark mage the Hemomancer was famed for. The voice filled Jhin with anticipation. "I can drain you dry any moment I want."

"Calm down, Hemomancer," the gunner said smoothly "I won't budge."

"What happened to him?"

"The Shadow is merging, Hemomancer. But it is greedy. Shadows tend to crave sovereign. It is overwhelming his senses. If he lives, then he will emerge. If not…"

Vladimir's glare would have made many brave men shiver. Not a psychopathic artist, though

"It is Zed's battle now, Vladimir. Neither you nor I can intervene. Killing me would not assist him in anyway."

"So this is why you've taken his Shadow in the first place."

"Well yes. I want to see if Zed has become more masterful, if not artistic – but no. He was _good._ That is why he cannot tread the path of the Shadows. The Shadow will overtake him."

"And should he succeed, you will kill him instead."

"You're very intelligent, Vladimir. That does not align with your reputation." Jhin spoke "to be honest, though, you're unexpected. It seems I cannot claim Zed's life today."

Vladimir looked at Zed, whose body was erected and consumed by a dark haze, his red eyes emotionless.

"Zed is not going to die today," said Vladimir.

"Is he not? You wouldn't be so sure."

"I am sure," said the Hemomancer "and I am still watching you – try not to reach for that shoulder cannon just yet."

Jhin laughed "You knew."

"I hear your blood. I know which part of you is human flesh and which part isn't."

"This isn't supposed to be for Zed, though," said Jhin "I have other plans for it."

Vladimir stared at the man currently in a trance, fighting his own darkness.

"You are not gonna die today," he thought "you don't get to die today."

* * *

_You are weak._

Zed opened his eyes.

_You are vulnerable._

Right, he got to deal with his Shadow. He forgot.

_You do not deserve to be my Master. I am the Master now._

"The hell if you are," said Zed.

_You were sentimental. You showed restraint. You showed weakness._

"Because you chose to leave me!"

_Is it? Or because you were too weak to hold me back?_

"Well, you came back. What's the drill?"

_I will take over you. No one will master the Shadows._

The first hit came too abrupt Zed barely had chance to dodge.

_Give into me. I will drive your talents._

_After all, you have your weaknesses, as all humans do._

They kept coming at a pace Zed knew he'd be overwhelmed.

_You showed the Hemomancer weakness. You worked with him._

_You know he was a threat. And you failed to eliminate the threat._

"You think Vladimir is that easy to kill?" Zed spat. He wondered if Vladimir had to deal with stuffs like this sometimes, having more than one person in his head.

_You were always the loser, Zed. You're not strong enough. Never strong enough._

"Shut up!"

_Don't make excuses, Zed. Tell me, are you weak?_

Zed gasped, falling down the floor of darkness. His Shadow appeared over him, taking up his exact appearance except being shrouded in darkness.

_Are you weak?_

He wanted to say he wasn't. He knew what he could do. He took back his Shadow. He wanted no one's help...

It was a blatant lie. The Shadow knew it. He knew it.

He was weak.

* * *

"Mr. Zed, is weakness such a bad thing?"

"Of course it is, Lulu." He had replied "that is why we become strong, to eradicate weakness."

"Why?"

"If you're weak, you are easily manipulated, forced into submission. You are not free. That is most unbecoming."

"Hmm, but if you say you're weak, it means you are strong, no?"

"What?"

"If you say you are weak, then you're making yourself vulnerable. It takes a lot of strength to admit that, don't you think?"

"Or stupidity,"

"Well, aren't the two of them sort of the same thing?"

* * *

The same thing…

_But now is the time you are, and you have to cope up with it._

Coping up with… vulnerability?

Accepting vulnerability?

Either he was stupid or strong, he did not know.

"I am,"

Well, he could care less.

_What?_

"I am weak," said Zed "I am mortal, flesh and blood. I am a man, with emotions and passion. I do not deny you, I do not subdue to you. I accept you."

_What!?_

"You are my darkness. I will embrace you. I accept that I am weak."

_So you are. Subdue to my will!_

"You heard me. I accept that I am weak. Does that not make me strong?"

_Hahaha! The yordle's driven you insane._

"Well," Zed smiled, reaching for the Shadow's face "aren't they sort of the same thing?"

_No! You could not have! It could not be so easy!_ The Shadow shrieked.

"I am weak. But I trust Lulu. That is why I trusted Vladimir. They could help me be strong. I do not get lost in my darkness, I control it. I master my fear. I am the Master. I don't deny you, I'll control you."

_Very well, Master of Shadows. You've found your answer. The Shadow will not leave your mantle ever again._

* * *

Zed's eyes snapped open.

"You're back," Vladimir said in a neutral tone, brushing something off his coat "how did the adventure go?"

"Jhin!" he exclaimed "where's he?"

Vladimir gestured around. Smokes were flying off the ground. Flying ashes scattered through the air.

Zed hit his face with his hand.

"That flowery bastard…"

"Sorry about that," said Vladimir "he caught me off-guarded. Threw a smoke bomb and fired his shoulder cannon. I did draw a lot of his blood, but with that many mechanical compartments he's not dead yet."

"Not your fault, Jhin always has some tricks up his sleeve. Makes for a 'true artist', I guess, all that bull crap."

"Why, you're being nice," said the mage, then added with an understanding smile "you've found your answer."

"I wouldn't say answer, more like existentialism paradox," Zed groaned "more to keep me occupied, I guess."

Vladimir shrugged "By the way, Zed…"

"What?"

"If you don't want to pay for this, let's get the hell out of here."

"Sure as hell," Zed smirked, as both men vanished from sight.

That left a smiling Sona Buvelle the only remaining witness. And Sona didn't speak.

* * *

"So, what's about that Jhin guy? Can I get my hands on any non-classified information?"

"Oh, he was once a serial killer who made death his plays, as you've already known. He appreciated beauty in death. That is, until the Old Kinkou Order declared he was too dangerous a threat and had to be contained. The then Eye of Twilight and his son managed to do just that. Now, some esteemed councilor decided he should take a walk and boom! There goes Demacia."

"Demacia is still there, you know."

"Point is, that makes Jhin a killer-for-hire, though. You said due to his killing Noxus made a truce with Ionia? I really don't like the thought of him killing for someone."

"You said it was an Ionian councilor."

"Only someone of such power could have been able to pull this off. Apparently Ionia still has shadier forces at work." Zed grinned. "My mask, Vladimir."

Vladimir tossed him the mask Jhin'd left behind.

"So, what did you have to do with him?"

"Ah, that. I wanted him dead."

"Oh,"

"The then Eye of Twilight and his son _contained_ him, but they weren't the only one _subduing_ him. I happened to get involved, too, and thought the best course of action was to kill him off. But… the old man didn't agree. The rest is history."

"Then he hates you for trying to kill him?"

"Yeah, that's a part. The other part was that I killed the old man, I suppose. He couldn't have his revenge now," Zed shrugged "I told the old man that bastard shouldn't be kept alive, he just didn't listen."

"Interesting," Vladimir mused "and you were not aware of his escape the slightest?"

"No. Whoever let him out was pretty quiet, and must be hell a lot powerful. I'll probably be discreet. Besides, Jhin always has his agenda. I doubt he'd reveal much about his personal enemies."

"Look who's the hero now?"

Zed gave him a pointed glare.

"Mr. Vlad! Mr. Zed!" a familiar voice called to them. There Lulu was, gliding on Whimsy towards the duo "you two seem to be getting on well!"

"Apparently," said Vladimir with a meaningful glance at Zed, who shrugged

"I'm glad you are," said Lulu "did everything go alright? Did you find the attacker?"

"We did, but he escaped. There was a complication."

"Oh! Tell me! I want to know!"

"Next time, Lulu." Zed promised "I have to return now. Should not be away for too long. Vladimir, my attire."

"You can ask nicely, you know." The mage said, handing the assassin his washed clothes.

He got back a wide smirk

"Nope. Can't do that. Goodbye, Vladimir."

"See you around, Master of being insecure."

Zed shot him a death glare before smiling lightly to Lulu. Then, he entered a portal and disappeared.

The Hemomancer turned to the yordle and smiled

"Now who would want some stories?"

**END.**

* * *

**Bonasu Shiin (most pointless bonus scene ever):**

Sona smiled at the two interrogators.

"Can you give us any description of the assailants?" asked Quinn.

The musician shook her head, her smile still intact.

"How about the number of those responsible?"

Sona shook her head again, smiling

"Alright," Quinn sighed "this is a serious attack on the people of Demacia. We'd really appreciate it if you could let us know if you remember something."

Sona nodded, and with the automatic smile and some notes, excused herself from the questioning.

Quinn sighed again. There was simply no other eye witness. Sona "convinced" them all to leave.

She looked over to Lux.

"I think the Maven is hiding something." She said.

The light mage nodded "same here." Why, though, was the question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Initially this was the storyline involving only ninjas and Jhin. However I had some new fancy ideas and wanted to do some experiments with it. The spirit realm part will show up later in the story. So, we have a rampant sociopath killer, an incoming invasion from the other realm, corrupted politicians and LeBlanc occasionally poking in. Ionia is having a lot on its hands.


	2. Noxus: Foreign Investigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> LeBlanc sends a Hemomancer to do detective work.

Vladimir regarded the paper with subtle curiosity.

"So… the Virtuoso has struck again."

LeBlanc nodded.

"We thought he no longer had any interests within Noxus, but it seems he still does."

"And you think this concerns us because?"

"He's a wild factor. We don't know what he is or who he works for. Such is not good micromanagement, and I mean to rectify that."

Vladimir looked down at photos of artful gory scenes again.

"He's one of a kind," he commented "all the blood splashes are natural, which means he's mastered the expertise of killing the exact way he wants. Everything was done to… perfection."

He looked up again.

"And what do I have to do with this?"

"You will help me look into him."

"Ah,"

The blood mage closed the file, fingers tracing the paper's edge.

"If I may ask, don't you have far more stealthy and trustworthy agents to conduct this investigation?"

The Matron smiled

"Oh Vladimir, are you underestimating yourself?"

"I speak of the obvious truth. As someone who's good at micromanagement, I have to say this is quite a risky choice."

"I have to make do, Vladimir. There's simply no option left."

A smile crossed the Hemomancer's lips. So the Matron heard of his dealings with the Master of Shadows, huh?

"Ah, typical, you already knew."

LeBlanc smiled

"I have my doubts, but we all know I'm not in place to verify them all. Besides, you are smarter and much more cunning than I've previously thought. And trust me when I say that there have been few who could pull that off."

She pulled out a small ring with the rose insignia on it.

"This will help you avoid scrutinizing eyes. This is a suggestion, Vladimir, and is not a request. Should you feel uncomfortable…"

"I accept."

"Oh, very well." She handed him the ring. That was easy.

"This killer is special, Matron. He's too intriguing to be left in the dark, don't you think?"

"Killing people mindlessly like that isn't quite to my taste."

"You suspected he was working for someone, though."

"I told you, I have my suspicions. And you will help me verify them, in whatever way possible."

"And am I allowed to kill him?"

LeBlanc raised an eyebrow.

"It is not required, but if you do, I can certainly find a way."

Vladimir nodded.

"You don't think the Virtuoso would be happy doing these murders forever, do you?"

"No. Though someone like him getting bored isn't gonna go down quietly. Showmanship has its price." LeBlanc smiled "I've discussed it with Swain. Your position on the High Command shall be preserved until you return."

Vladimir stood up, holding the file in his hand.

"If I may," he said, bowing slightly.

"Goodnight, Vladimir. Your deed to the Rose shall be remembered."

* * *

Vladimir unlocked the door to his mansion and stepped in.

"I must praise you, Master of Shadows. So far you are the quietest and stealthiest of all intruders who'd snuck into my house."

The aforementioned man stepped out from the shadows. His eyes glowed red.

"Thank you, anyhow, for not causing any property damage," said the mage in an airy tone "I've changed the window up to five times already."

Zed smirked under his mask.

"You're late."

"I had some urgent business to run." Vladimir explained, passing by the ninja and heading to the living room "Anyway, you came. How have you been?"

"So far nothing has shown up, I suppose."

Vladimir opened the door to the living room and cast a spell. All the candles burst into light.

"I see. To what do I owe your presence today?"

He turned around to find Zed holding a set of clothes.

"You lent me these. I thought it is proper to return them."

"Ah, yes, thank you," Vlad said, taking the clothes and setting it on the nearest couch "now what may I do for you, Zed?"

Zed took off his mask. His face betrayed no emotions. Vladimir guessed he'd been perfecting such look for his whole life.

"You said Jhin killed people in your nation. I want information on those cases."

Vladimir poured tea from one of his newly acquired thermoses.

"Tea?"

"Thank you."

The caster smiled.

"You're getting good at this."

"I've had practice," said the assassin.

"I have no particular reason to deny you this piece of knowledge. You'd know what to do with it. The thing is… why?"

"Why?"

"You're no longer a protector of equilibrium, justice and all that jazz. You're the bad guy to those things now. So, why would you be interested in stopping him?"

"I am not a psychopathic murderer, Vladimir. His freedom now is my fault. I have to fix it."

Vladimir drained his cup in one go.

"I see,"

Zed stayed silent.

Vladimir produced a yellow file and handed it to him.

"If that is the case, you'd also want to know he has begun killing again. It seems his 'audience' is making a move."

The mage could see Zed's eyes slightly harden as he skimmed through the file.

"He killed those who vouched for the Ionian War to commence," Vladimir explained "if anything, I think this 'faction' is solidifying their stand, either through fear or favor of others. But you're not concerned about politics, I see. You're concerned about the killer alone."

"Are you looking into him?"

"Why yes, as for me, he's a morbidly fascinating individual. How a man can make the foundation of a whole nation stir. And my boss wants to know more about him."

"Your boss? Swain?"

"Nope, the other boss," Vladimir smiled. An idea was forming inside his head "to think about it, now, I'm not a generous person."

Zed smirked.

"That is expected. You're only that towards Lulu's wishes. I will pay the right price for the information you provided."

"You're going to let me help you."

The assassin almost gagged.

"What?"

"My boss wants me to look into him. She wants information. Finding some way to keep tabs on him, I suppose. And I figure there's no better person to acquire it from than someone who's personally been involved with him."

"Your boss obviously doesn't want him dead."

"It's not necessary, but isn't restricted. After all, if he were to die, this 'shady faction' commanding him would be uneasy. My boss would have enough _strings_ , then, to figure out the rest."

Zed stared at him.

"I can tell you what I know. I can show you more than four thousand sketches I've done of his 'masterpieces'. I can explain how he adapts his motifs into his works. But I cannot tell you who let him out or why they did it. Nor do I care about that."

"If you want to find someone who commands an Ionian sociopath, you go to Ionia. You and I have the same goal: hunting for Jhin. The purpose behind that goal isn't that important."

Vladimir poured himself another cup of tea.

"Whatever happens, tomorrow I will leave for Ionia. It will be appreciated if you consent."

"You've placed me in debt," said Zed "I cannot deny you this request."

"Well, that settles it, then," Vladimir beamed him a smile "it's a pleasure to be working with you."

"Again,"

"Again," Vladimir reaffirmed.

"Ah, how exhilarating," Zed remarked "can I have another cup?"

* * *

"I'm gonna have to borrow this set of clothes again," said Zed, after having changed into the so-called aristocratic clothing.

"Oh, keep it. I have more than I need of those. Is this your disguise?"

"Yeah, it's funny how literally no one recognizes me without the mask."

"Really?"

"Well, except for Shen, of course, but who knows what he's doing these days. He's not out on the streets looking for a sociopathic murderer, that's for damn sure."

"Isn't that a really convenient use of a mask? Had I known this I would have donned one myself."

"How are you gonna disguise yourself, by the way? You're quite a high profile Noxian. Why your boss would send you is frankly lost to me."

"She knows I'm the only one who can obtain this information for her. Sometimes you will have to make do. Worry not, I have insurance from her ladyship." Vladimir produced a ring he wore on a necklace under his shirt "this will help me avert people's attention."

He turned around and smiled to Zed.

"Come now, don't be so cautious. We are in an equal opportunity partnership. I'm not trying to extract any information from you at all."

"You say so, but now I have a member from a Noxian faction helping me fight someone from an Ionian faction. You will see it causes complications."

"I know," Vladimir said "and my words stand. I'm only tagging along until I have what I deem sufficient. Whatever you'd like to do with him is, again, not my concern."

"Fine. You can be useful. If you're finished packing, we'll go now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... this little storyline was to entertain myself while waiting for Jhin's lore to be released, but that piece was out so late that I developed this little adventure quite far... until it became unsuitable to the current lore... 


	3. Noxus - Ionia: Homecoming

Yet another night, flowers bloomed.

Yet another night, people became beautiful.

And yet, all had started to feel so routine, so repetitive.

Such is not acceptable by any artist!

The Virtuoso stood over his latest masterpiece. For once, the sheer ecstasy of a magnificent showcase was barely there.

What was this? Was his inspiration running dry?

It left the artist (killer) thinking. He had never felt so uninspired like this before. He had spent years working at the same village, meeting the same kind of people, executing his art on them, over and over. Now, he had a whole nation as his playground. Noxus offered a lot of exquisite themes he could use to create the artwork of a lifetime, and the colorful subjects for such too. He did feel a little disappointed how quaint the people of this nation treated killing, but that was where his talent mattered.

Then why was he feeling this way?

(Does he even feel?)

He wondered if it was because of his current working condition. Indeed, he was doing this for his audience, to whom he owed his current freedom. It did leave out the opportunity to decide worthy subjects himself, but Jhin prided himself on being diversely creative. After all, every creature deserved a beautiful, noteworthy death. The Virtuoso would never allow anything to die less perfect if he ever got his hand on it.

Anyone could become perfect.

Then perhaps he was bored?

That didn't sound right. He should never be bored. He couldn't be bored.

He looked at his newest creation again, and something hit him.

He was an artist. He craved for a spotlight.

(No, not like that mindless narcissist executioner/fool)

Every artist craves for the world to understand them, to appreciate them, to praise them and to love them.

Why would he be any different?

He wanted attention.

Why that never occurred to him during his time in Zhyun, in Tuula or even in Noxus, he didn't really know.

Well, better late than never, they always said.

He wanted an audience. He was not supposed to be in the shadows! That was someone else's job.

Someone else…

Ah, Zed.

Perhaps he'd changed from the Khada Jhin back then.

He had enemies now. That was bound to change things _drastically_.

He wanted revenge against those responsible for locking him away.

Kusho, Shen and Zed.

Well, perhaps not Zed? He'd wanted to kill him, but he betrayed Kusho.

No.

He killed Kusho.

(His chance of vengeance was cut short)

No one would get excluded. He could not do that.

Now that his enemies weren't even on the same side, this performance would be his finest.

His spirit elevated in excitement. Oh how he would paint the two former brothers by their own flesh and blood.

This was his design.

He had to come home.

Ionia waited.

He could feel his own longing to the land that once graced his presence, his performances.

He had to come home.

He had to pay tribute to Ionia, his very birthplace, both as a human being (hah) and an artist.

It had been a while.

He was coming home.

* * *

The audience didn't seem satisfied with this design.

"You can't return, Jhin. You know the risk. We cannot get you exposed just yet. We have plans for you."

Of course, they would all have plans. All humans thought they had plans.

They just weren't aware of it yet.

"I… am tired of all the quaint subjects you've been giving me lately. I need new _inspiration._ I will come home," he declared, softly and politely "I need to come home. Ionia is where my heart is."

"You will not return home until we…"

Shots fired.

Petals flowed.

All his audiences… no, his prospective subjects stood up at once. They were calling for something. Obviously they had a leash, a back up in case they needed to control him. The killer smiled softly. Of course they would. They weren't stupid.

And yet… was it even enough?

"I respect your decisions for the debt I owed you. But not this time, precious audience," said Jhin, reloading his gun "you are not going to stop me now. But you can still _try_."

_Come._

He marveled at their terror. Humans never truly realize how their own greed can seal their fates.

Not that it mattered to Khada Jhin. All he needed was to stage the performance of his lifetime.

People would know the name of Khada Jhin. His artistry would live on forever.

This was his design.

* * *

His audience had consented. They were wise. They knew where the line was.

He never did.

Art has no boundaries.

For the first time in years (how many was it?), the Virtuoso had stepped a foot inside Ionia's land.

Same old people, same old scenery, and yet the nostalgia remained. It was inevitable, he reasoned. He was home, at last.

Khada Jhin smiled. He would grace his own country with the performance of a lifetime.

(He would have his revenge, against those who dared to contain his heart)

This was his design.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal reference aside, I am totally sold that Jhin having to kill predestined targets did not deter him in the slightest. I think deep down Jhin feels that beauty is equal to everyone, as he says "I will make you beautiful". He thinks everyone deserves to be beautiful, and makes it his mission to make them so. Which makes him a really open-hearted and noble artist... well, that is, leaving out the horrific murdering part.


	4. Ionia: The Golden Demon

"You had a secret portal installed in my house?"

"It's not an installed portal. I can use shadow portals to travel to certain checkpoints, provided I have a very pristine idea where I'm going. So… welcome to my place, I suppose."

The room they just appeared inside was a classic Ionian chamber. It was decorated simply and stacked with scrolls, paper and books.

"You read a lot, too, I suppose."

"What else do you do with time then?" Zed shot back.

Vladimir nodded in agreement.

There was a collection of shurikens and claws hung on a wall. Some inked pictures of Ionian landscape were on the other. A small table was at the middle of the room. Vladimir could see at least one board of shogi and one board of go sitting at a corner, between stacks and stacks of books. The mage smirked.

"I always thought Ionians would be stoic monks, living in practically empty rooms. You seem to have a lot running beneath the surface."

"Spare me the puns, Vladimir. Have a seat."

The mage sat down on the mattress. Zed took his seat opposite the table after a moment, with a stack of something in his hands.

"These are some of the more exemplary _works_ of Khada Jhin's career."

"Khada Jhin?"

"It means 'Golden Excellence' in the Ionian dialect. It is only a stage name, though. No one knows his real name. Not that it matters, anyway. To him the stage means everything."

Vladimir skimmed through the sketches given, each of them depicting realistic mutilations of people, with footnotes listing the themes and methods used in the assassination. They were all done by pencils.

"Did you do these?"

"Yes."

"You are a good painter."

"Probably why I was chosen on this journey," said Zed "I told you I went on a journey to capture him and stuffs, didn't I?"

"You mentioned it somewhere in the past, I think. If I may ask, you're still young?"

"I'm twenty nine."

"So, when this happened…"

"I was sixteen when the investigation began. He was captured when I was turning twenty."

"Hold up! You saw all of these things for freaking _four years_ of your teenage life?"

Zed grinned grimly.

"Oh wow, okay. I don't even know what to say anymore." Even Vladimir himself had been unsettled by these… extravagant displays of blood and body parts. He couldn't imagine what a sixteen-year-old would have felt then, looking upon these horrifying scenes while sketching them down…

Zed shrugged

"I cannot say those four years have been healthy for my mentality. Roughly a thousand had been made 'beautiful' before we could figure out his pattern."

"That is the biggest understatement of the century," said Vladimir "Are there therapists in Ionia?"

"Therapists?"

"No? Oh damn. They let children go on investigations on sociopathic artisan killers and not give them psychological consult? For shame, Ionia, for shame."

"You know what? your glossary is too much for me to handle today. Save it for another time," said Zed dismissively "These scenes depict pretty much the pattern of his killings: all life ends in four acts."

"Four acts," Vladimir repeated "but with different themes, I see."

"Yeah, that was why his pattern was so hard to read."

"The previous Noxian murders were the same."

"Yes, four people were killed, each in four strikes. And then the mutilation comes," Zed explained "oh… you have a surprisingly accurate drawing."

He was looking at the photos taken by the Noxians.

"That's a photo," Vladimir pointed out "you know, using hextech to capture light? It's called the camera. Never heard of it? You have a hextech serial killer damn it, don't act like you are 100 years ancient or something."

"In my defense, back then Jhin didn't have that fancy 'hextech' gun. You have technology that can record images?"

"Yes, it's a camera. It's been around for a while," Vladimir said "for shame, Ionia."

"Oh… that's amazing…"

Vladimir had to resist the urge to hit his face on the table.

"Never mind," he said "so you went on a four year investigation on these murders with your old master and the current Eye of Twilight and managed to find and contain him."

"He was called the Golden Demon by the residents of Zhyun, the town where he used to reside. People thought that only a true force of evil could have been able to do… these."

"I wouldn't blame them."

"Turns out, it was only a man. I truly still don't know whether to be relieved or be terrified."

If he were a man, he could be stopped. He could be killed.

And yet, if he was a man, how could he have struck terror and destruction thought only capable by demons?

"And yeah… the Golden Demon wants people dead not because he hates them, or pities them, or wants revenge. He does all that because he wants to create _art._ If that is not the most fucked up thing I've ever seen my whole life then I…"

"You and me both, Zed."

They both fell into silence.

"I should bring you something to drink," said Zed after a moment "there's sake in one of the shelves."

"I thought you don't drink."

"It was for cleaning the wounds. Back then I used to get injured a lot and often avoided the infirmary, so… if that grosses you out, though…"

"Oh no, please, I'd love to know how Ionian alcohol tastes."

As Zed was rummaging through the shelves, Vladimir spoke

"I don't think it is your fault he escaped."

"It is."

"There's nothing you could have done."

"There's _something_ I could have done. I could have just _killed him off_."

He returned to the table and all but slammed the sake bottle on its surface.

"If only that old man had let me… just one strike… and people would not have to suffer."

"But he chose to be merciful. And now that means we're here. Do you think that if you'd killed him then, the darkness he'd caused you would have gone away?"

…

"No."

Vladimir took the bottle and uncapped it.

"After the case, everything in my life went wrong. It must have been my fault, again. I always thought that having him incarcerated was worth it, but now that he's free again…"

"Ah, so strong," Vladimir said, taking a gulp from the bottle "so you pin everything on your failure?"

"Everything is my failure."

Vladimir hummed slightly.

"I see. Thank you for the insight. If I may offer my two cents…"

"Two cents?"

"Sorry, I slipped. Anyway, because you did not kill Khada Jhin back then, you are sitting here now, talking to a Noxian homicidal blood mage whom your yordle friend just happened to befriend. If I am to say, it is quite an incredible turn of events."

Zed laughed.

"Yeah, that's one of a kind."

"Our past choices make who we are today, and I don't think anyone would rather lose that to rectify something done wrong in the past. Of course, he did escape, and that's a bummer. However, if I were you, I wouldn't angst over it too much."

Something in that statement troubled him. He'd rarely let himself think, what would have happened, if he was able to kill Khada Jhin that day. He would never be able to turn back time and do what he couldn't at the time (he wasn't even allowed to kill him), might as well stop dwelling on it. But if, if only, he was able to kill him then, what would happen to him? Would everything be the way it once were?

(If that was the case, he would do anything...)

If he'd accepted that the darkness would not go away, then why would he even bother?

Perhaps, he'd never truly come to terms with the truth that, he'd forever been scarred, by the Golden Demon, by Khada Jhin. That was the point of no return for him.

Nevertheless, he _knew_ what he was gonna do now.

"But I will still kill him this time."

Ultimately, he was still right. Leaving a man like Khada Jhin alive would only backfire.

"Of course you will." Vladimir agreed "friendly reminder, there's a faction behind him now, which is obviously powerful and influential. Killing him wouldn't be as simple as it may have been some years ago."

As if politics ever bothered him anyway.

"I don't care. As long as Jhin is out there, planning his next move, they can all go to hell."

Surprisingly, Vladimir smirked.

"Now that is the way to go, isn't it?"


	5. Ionia: Lulu joins the fray

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lulu's no longer MIA. Yay?

The next day was spent by the duo to look into the Virtuoso's latest whereabouts after his escape from the Tuula Prison. Apparently only Noxus had been graced by his artistic presence, which meant Jhin was doing exactly what his "audience" wanted him to.

How long that would last, though…

"Have you visited this Tuula Prison?" asked Vladimir "there might be some clues there."

Zed shook his head.

"That's too risky. Jhin's imprisonment there wasn't common knowledge. Most people only knew he was locked up somewhere. Coming to Tuula would only alert the authority and even the Kinkou."

"Hmm, that is dire. We're back to square one now."

"Vladimir, can't you just use normal words to communicate normal ideas with me?"

"Why, it is a normal word, you're just too stuck up to know."

Zed sighed.

"Anyway, Tuula is unreachable," the assassin continued "We can go to Zhyun, where Jhin used to work, but I doubt we'd find anything substantial. It was unlikely for him to go back there so soon. Then…"

At that moment, the door was slid open so abrupt that both men turned away from their work.

Lulu was standing at the doorway, looking miffed.

"There you are! I couldn't find any of you anywhere!" she accused "are you up to something without me?"

Vladimir threw Zed a sideway glance.

"How did you find me?" asked the ninja, apparently more curious than appalled. This was the base of the Order of the Shadow, after all. He was sure no yordle could just happen to wander in without him knowing.

"Oh, Bard helped me!" she stepped aside to show them a magical light tunnel and the Celestial next to it "I didn't know where you went, so I asked him. Bard knows everything!"

The two men stared at each other.

"Did she just convince a freaking Celestial to help her find her wayward friends?" Zed whispered.

Vladimir threw him a smile.

The Celestial only tipped its head, producing some lighthearted chimes. Lulu smiled to him in return as he vanished.

"So, tell me. What have you two been secretly doing behind my back?"

The Master of Shadows sighed.

"I'm tracking Jhin… the one who…"

"I know. Mr. Vlad told me."

"Of course he did. And Vlad here was ordered by his boss to look into this as well. So he kinda forced me into working with him."

"It was in exchange for the information on the Noxus side," Vladimir adhered "I am a fair man."

"Well, that's it. We've not got anything yet, so…"

"You went on an investigation without me?"

Zed raised an eyebrow.

_Aren't you a little young to be conducting investigations on sociopathic serial killers?_

Vladimir probably shared the same sentiment.

"Uh…" he hesitated "… explicit content?"

"Explicit?"

"Jhin's murders are… cruel and grotesque by nature." Zed tried to explain "and his crime scenes are very, _very_ disturbing. Therefore, I think that…"

"So you're looking into a disturbing killer without me?"

"He's a psychopath, Lulu! You can't get involved. It's too much for you…"

"I'm completely sure his works are mentally unhealthy for you, or anyone," Vladimir explained calmly "We don't want you to be concerned."

Lulu pouted.

Vladimir smiled apologetically.

The staring intensified.

Zed raised an eyebrow.

"So…" he began, but was cut off by the yordle.

"I want to see it!"

Uh oh…

Vladimir sighed.

"You're not gonna give up until we give in, are you?"

"Why, you just have to ask, don't you?"

The blood mage took a photo of one of the crime scenes and handed it to her.

"If you insist…"

"What are you doing?" asked Zed "she's just a child!"

"Correction: she's not _just_ a child, she's the Fae Sorceress. What do you see?"

Lulu's eyes were wide in… incomprehension. She seemed as if she was trying so hard to understand yet failing.

"Why… I don't understand! Why could anyone see this as art?" she mumbled in a barely audible tone "and yet, it was meant to be a masterpiece. The execution was perfect, the theme was perfectly captured… it is perfect, and yet it is not! Why?"

"He's a psychopath!"

"But he knows it is cruel. He knows! And yet he cannot help himself! He… how can… he thinks his art is not wrong! How can such person exist?"

"You mean he's compelled to kill because he has to? Like I do?"

"No. He thinks he is only doing the _performance._ He does not kill, the performance does. Therefore, he knows it is cruel, but does it because it is not him being cruel. It is his art being cruel. And his art is not wrong. So is cruel not wrong for him?"

"It's enough, Lulu. You don't have to read into this anymore," said Vladimir "it clearly upset you."

Zed whispered "Does she…"

"Lulu sees things a tad deeper than we do. She can understand and sympathize with a lot of people. This is apparently the first she could not comprehend."

Lulu looked up

"Thank you for telling me," she said, handing back the photo.

"You're welcome, Lulu."

"I want to join you. I want to meet this Jhin."

"Lulu, I told you…"

"He can't kill me. Something like this can't kill me."

The mage looked at Zed apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I think there's not a chance you can talk her out of this."

Zed looked at the Fae Sorceress, who now had a straight and serious face.

"Lulu, I don't want you to get hurt." He said, truthfully. Khada Jhin had scarred him enough. There was no reason to have his friend concerned about him anymore.

"I'm fine." She reassured. A smile showed up on her face "Besides, someone's got to stop you before you kill yourself. I don't think Mr. Vlad is capable of that."

Vladimir gave her a knowing smile. He turned to address the assassin.

"If it's come to this, Zed, you can't deny her anymore. You must have denied a lot of people in your life, but she isn't gonna be one of them."

Zed was half tempted to smash the guy in the face. How did he know so much?

In the end, he slowly acquiesced. He would have to look after Lulu now. How hard would it be?

* * *

"So, I just want to brief you through our plans," said Zed "that is, if we do have a plan. Anyway, as of now, we know that the Virtuoso is working in Noxus. He made an appearance in Demacia, thanks to us, but it is unlikely the Demacians could identify him. I and Vladimir are going to look further into reports across the continent, since I don't think anyone could have missed out on his murders."

The blood mage nodded.

"How many Ionians are there who know about Khada Jhin?"

"Define 'know about'."

"That is, capable of identify him when met face to face, knowing about his escape, etc."

The ninja grinned.

"Khada Jhin is much more known about as a tale than a man. If it is the former criteria, then those people are gonna be me, Shen, the Ionian faction responsible for letting him out, and the staff at Tuula. If it is the latter, then it's gonna be me, the Ionian faction responsible for his escape, and the staff at Tuula. So, the only ones aware of his freedom is you, me, and the faction Jhin is working for. I'd assume your boss might have an idea or two."

"And don't forget about Sona Buvelle."

"Oh, yes, there's her. Though I hardly doubt she was aware of his true identity."

"This means that you are the only Ionian except for Jhin and his audiences who knows."

"Yes, you're finally catching up."

"Now that I think about it, it's not so compelling anymore. Are you sure this is a bright idea?"

"I am sure telling _anyone_ about this is a dumb idea."

"Says the guy who says 'Ignorance is fatal'."

Zed sighed.

"Look, most of the Ionians I know aren't gonna believe me anyway. I don't know where Shen is, not that it justifies anything, and dragging my disciples in this without any concrete lead only complicates the deal. I don't want to touch on politics just yet."

"Man, being you is kinda hard," Vladimir commented "so, three of us against the world? Wonderful, am I missing anything else?"

"Nope, you're on point. As far as we know, it is not wise to tell _anyone_ about this."

Vladimir sighed "I have a bad feeling about this."

"You brought this on yourself, pal, don't start crying about it now."

"I am so not," said Vladimir defensively "Lulu, does it work for you?"

"It's fine. Trist and Teemo are already informed I'm going to leave town for a while. They're probably used to the idea by now."

Zed still looked at Lulu warily, but he wisely chose not to comment. He'd learned a lot from his previous experiences with the yordle, that there could be no creature in Valoran more stubborn than her.

"Well, that means we should start digging," said Vladimir "have you any material for us to work on?"

The assassin smirked. Behind him, the Shadow appeared, bringing with him roughly ten stacks of paper piling up the floor. It bowed to Zed and flashed the other two a smirk before disappearing.

Vladimir looked appalled. How did he fetch such an amount of information in such a short time?

"There you go," said Zed "where should we start?"

The mage looked at Lulu, who smiled at him before grabbing some files to her own. He shook his head.

"Fair enough, this is probably gonna take a while."


	6. Ionia: Kashuri

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obligatory move-the-plot-along piece...

"Damn it, we have zero clues!" said Zed in frustration. They had gone no further since Lulu's arrival in finding the whereabouts of the Virtuoso. And if there was something Zed hated, it was not having an idea what his enemy was doing.

Vladimir regarded the enormous amount of paperwork they'd just worked on: murder reports, sightings and rumors. As far as they knew, he was still killing in Noxus, and you can't find someone in Noxus if they know where to hide.

"Perhaps we're taking the wrong approach to the situation," he suggested "if he's indeed backed by your government, then his whereabouts will be covered. Instead of finding the man himself, we should track something belonging to him, don't you think?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

The mage smiled

"Well, obviously seeing as you're one of the more well read citizens of Ionia and have almost zero clues how technology works, I must safely assume that it isn't that widespread at least in this nation."

Zed's eyes widened.

"Hextech," he said "screw me, why did I not think of it?"

The mage shrugged.

"Here's the catch. Hextech weaponries are manufacturer unique…"

"…no two manufacturers can craft two identical weapons, especially if they're advanced. All hextech weapon manufacturers heavily modify their works so as not to be stolen credit for them." Zed continued.

"Oh hey, you actually know something. How can you know that and not know cameras exist, again?"

"My interests are solely on weaponries," Zed replied "and so, where was his hextech produced?"

"That's the fun part. Back when Jhin first _performed_ at Noxus, we ran a test on his ammunitions. Apparently neither Zaun nor Piltover was responsible for the production of his ammo. The report is within the file I've given you."

"So you think Ionia is also producing its own hextech weaponry."

"At least, it is a possibility. We have something more concrete to follow. I'm sure not every armory in Ionia produces hextech weapons. There you go."

Zed reached for the yellow file and pulled out the mentioned report.

"What, you have a bullet in here?" he asked, holding out a nylon bag with a bullet in it.

Vladimir nodded.

"Yes. The bullet was one of the reasons we thought neither Zaun nor Piltover produced his weapons. They have not been using such outdated ammunition for 50 years. Besides, this thing has too much magic imbued. One shot might pack quite a punch, but it is hardly as efficient as modern arms. If you remember, he had to manually reload. Automatic reload has been around… well you get the idea."

"It's been around for 30 years or so, thanks." Zed said, standing up and heading to one of his shelves.

"You jerk. You know all of this already."

"If someone like you knows it, I don't see why I cannot. I told you, I'm interested in weaponry."

"Well, seeing as you are, I'd assume you have a destination in mind."

On cue, Zed returned, holding something looking like a gunblade.

"Recently these have been circulating in Ionia," said he, showing it to Vladimir "they are poorly made copies and only half as efficient, but they can do the job."

"Glad to see your nation finally catching up," Vladimir commented.

"All due to your nation and Zaun," Zed shot back "they're said to be produced in an armory in the South. Let's call Lulu. I don't think leaving her alone that long will be wise. We're going to Kashuri."

* * *

"Kashuri is a province dedicated to weaponry," Zed explained "their armories have been famous for crafting excellent quality weapons for long ago. In fact, the former Kinkou Order used to contract them for arms. However, it seems after the war they'd decided to harness the power of hextech into their weapons. The results are those poor, outdated copies I showed you back then."

Vladimir glanced around, taking in the smell of metal in the air. Kashuri seemed to be a decent town, quite rural except for the numerous forgeries. According to Zed, all of the armories were more or less owned by the province, which resulted in little competition between merchants, as all sales must be verified by the state. Most of the forgers in the province dedicated their time into perfecting their crafts rather than trying to best each others, since the state had them covered. It was actually quite an efficient system, given the specific situations in Kashuri.

"Well, they are being quite public about hextech production, aren't they?"

"After Noxus's invasion, things changed… some people found that the old ways aren't gonna protect them from threats like Zaun and Noxus. Even the Council had to make do. I don't see how importing hextech would be a shock."

"It would be a shock if they didn't stop at simply gunblades."

"I agree. Whatever Jhin used, it must be much more disastrous than simple gunblades."

"Indeed, but it's still outdated as hell. I don't think I have seen a weapon with such recoil before. Our friend is really a _dedicated_ artist."

"You bet."

They stopped in front of the weapon showroom. For the numerous forgeries across the province, there was only one showroom available.

Zed walked up to the door and pushed it open.

"Welcome," said the shopkeeper "oh it's you again. Come in."

"It's you again?" asked Vladimir as the trio stepped inside the showroom. It was a typical weapon shop, selling mostly intricate swords, bows and arrows. Knives and shurikens (ninja stuffs) were also available for sale. Occupying one corner of the room was some models of hextech guns.

"I often come here to look at weapons," Zed replied quietly "and give them some advice on shurikens too, when I feel liberal. Now Lulu, don't touch that, it's a crossbow."

"I'm so glad you decided to come by," said the shopkeeper with a friendly tone "our shop can use your advice on the latest shuriken."

"Sure," Zed smiled easily "I'm all for it. But first, I think this model didn't work better than the last one. It's already broken."

He passed the shopkeeper the gunblade.

"Oh yes, how unfortunate," said the man, examining the product "we're still finding ways to improve its lifetime, but it seems there's nothing we could do to prevent magical decay."

Vladimir murmured something about cutting down on fuel usage, but Zed ignored him.

"It's really interesting, how you can integrate magic into arms like this," Zed commented "how are they selling?"

"They do better than we expected, actually. We're getting more orders these days."

"You take orders?"

"Of course, most hextech weapons we produced are ordered. The government has controls on what is ordered and what is not. Without a license, these gunblades are all you can have."

Vladimir and Zed exchanged glances. Certainly Jhin's audience took control over the production of these weapons.

"Do you design them yourselves, though?"

"Yes, we do, according to the customer's needs, like with normal weapons. We try to work within what we can, though. It's unfortunate, but this gunblade can no longer be salvaged. Would you like to take a look at another?"

"No, not at all, I found that technology isn't really my thing, anyway. You can have it back. It can be useful in determining its failure."

The other man nodded.

"Thank you, sir. We do keep our design blueprints, though, so it isn't necessary."

The tiniest glint occurred within Zed's eyes.

"I see," he said "well, I just wanted to tell you that. I hope I'm not disturbing anything…"

"Of course not. Will you look at our new shuriken now?"

"Sure," Zed smiled "where do you keep it?"

"Ah!" the man exclaimed "I didn't really expect you, so I kept all of them back in storage. If you'd only wait two minutes…"

Zed's smile didn't disappear until the man had disappeared at the back of the shop.

Vladimir began

"So…"

"Save it for later, Vladimir. I have two minutes to locate the blueprint."

"What blueprint?"

"Jhin's weapon's blueprint, of course. Where have you been?" said Zed "if I don't come back in time, distract him for me."

"Wait… Zed…"

The Master of Shadows had already vanished.

* * *

"Thank you very much," the shopkeeper smiled, waving at the trio as they left the showroom "your help is much appreciated by us."

"You're welcome," said Zed "goodbye."

After they'd walked away from the armories, Zed pulled out a scroll from his pocket.

"I still don't understand how you can disappear like that. It's not magic, isn't it?" asked Vladimir.

"I have no magic capabilities. You of all people should know that."

"And how did you even skim through thousands of blueprints to find what you need in two minutes?"

"You'll have to know where to look." The ninja smirked "the 'classified' portion of any archive is always painfully recognizable."

"I assume you had to break a few things to get through?"

"It'll be a long time before anyone notices something's wrong with the safes."

Vladimir shrugged.

"Well, there you have it. Kashuri produced his arms. Did the blueprint say who ordered it?"

"Zhyun's councilor," Zed replied "who I think became its governor at this point(1). This isn't going to go down nicely, however it turns out."

"We'll get him." Lulu spoke, and the two men realized she had been quiet all day long.

Both men nodded.

"We will."

The ninja put the scroll away.

"I guess we're going to visit Zhyun?" Vladimir asked.

"I'll keep an eye on Kashuri, too, in case Jhin has further needs for ammunition. But yeah, we'll pay Zhyun a visit. Man, what did I get myself into?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1): Zhyun was said to have a council before the war with Noxus.


	7. Ionia: Whisper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obligatory move-the-plot-along piece #2

 

“You should rest,” said Zed, after making sure Lulu was fast asleep in her room.

Vladimir blinked.

“But isn’t it only 9:00 in the evening? Do Ionians sleep so early?”

“Well, yeah… I don’t, but they do.”

“Besides, you don’t think you can keep that blueprint to yourself, do you?”

The ninja sighed

“Well, at least I tried.” Sharp one, the mage was.

“A for effort,” said Vladimir “just remember that I do know one thing or two about humans. We have a deal, Zed. Try not to chicken out.”

“Duly noted,” Zed grinned. He took out the scroll and laid it on the table for the other to see. They both examined the paper in silence for a few minutes and…

“This guy’s insane!” said both of them at the same time.

Vladimir looked at the other in surprise.

“You do actually know a thing or two about weapons don’t you?”

“I told you, I read a lot on weapons. As far as I’ve known, there’s not been any hextech weapon like this.”

“Indeed, the technology applied to this gun is ancient. Look at the amount of magic it consumes. Modern hextech uses little bits of magic efficiently. This thing is anything but efficient. Those gunblades of Kashuri used too much, but this beast is ten times more wasteful. Jeez, they don’t know how to save resources. This can legibly be called a magic gun now.”

 “And using that much magic… would make the gun’s recoil enormous,” Zed continued “let’s see… Firing that gun in its full form would tear normal flesh.”

“Did you just make a calculation?” asked Vladimir “probably you did. Nevertheless, the design is intriguing. It has an artistic, sorry, vibe to it. For what was available to them the Kashuri armories actually did the most magnificent job they could. This is the most efficient they can go, with the technology they currently have, to deliver such firepower.”

“But its shots are slow. Back then, dodging the bullets wasn’t even a problem, unless he has the element of surprise, I can’t be hit. And utilizing such heavy firepower would increase the malfunction risk.”

“Don’t forget, he only has four bullets in his chamber, and the reload is manual. But I can see what he aims at: superior damage. Everything else was sacrificed for extreme damage.”

“He thinks he outclasses everyone,” Zed said “he thinks he can set the stage and have them dance to his desires and die to his desires, without any resistance.”

“Makes sense; with the full weapon, he can potentially kill someone from a hundred feet away. Death should be instantaneous with the average human.”

The mage paused, grabbing the bullet for comparison.

“The disgusting thing is the bullet. It creates flowers from your own flesh,” he observed “no armories should be able to craft such specific and powerful bullets. I’d not like to be hit by that.”

“Flowers,” Zed repeated “beauty in death. His bullets are… macabre. At least… he didn’t have to directly dissect them, manually. It certainly still sours your meal, though.”

“You are the master of understatements, you know?” said Vladimir “how ironic.”

“What is?”

“The gun’s name is Whisper.”

The ninja took a look at the label and couldn’t help a sarcastic laugh.

_“Customized Techmaturgical Magic artillery launcher set, Whisper_

_Ordered by: Councilor of Zhyun_

_Crafted by: Head forger of Kashuri, in association with the GD”_

“For such a loud weapon, it has to be named Whisper.”

“He is an artist, no? Perhaps when it is the loudest, his mind is at the upmost bliss?”

“The gun fires, they whisper to him like songs. What others see as loud and destructive, he would see as beautiful. Of course, Whisper was gonna be the name.”

* * *

 

Indeed it would be named Whisper, for it brought Death.

Death was like a whisper, you may ignore it, but it would always be there.

And no one could see it coming, none but him.

“Ah, Mister…” the shopkeeper hastily said, voice quivering. He masked it with quite a professional attitude, the Virtuoso remarked. He looked around the inside of the shop: oh how quickly time had passed. His glance shifted onto the shopkeeper: it was not his intent to kill the man… yet “you’ve returned to Ionia! I did not expect…”

“Inspiration flowers,” Jhin interrupted “I let it guide the way. Expecting it to go on any other way is foolish.”

“Yes. How may I help you, sir?”

“My gun is getting clumsy. Today, it missed the mark by half an inch. And I demand perfection. Such mistake is not tolerable.”

“Oh, yes. I believe it will only require a small maintenance. Relocating the accelerator will likely solve the problem.”

“I trust your expert eyes on the matter,” said Jhin smoothly “you may get to it.”

“Of course, if you’d only allow me to fetch the tools…”

“Do what you have to do, sir.”

The merchant disappeared at the back of the store. Jhin could hear the clattering of equipments. Hmm, he was rummaging for something. What might it be? He’d thought this place was more orderly. Oh, the merchant was opening a safe. Perhaps he wanted to take a look at the blueprint?

The man went back, looking especially nervous.

“Is there something wrong?” asked Jhin.

The man almost jumped.

“Ah… it’s…”

“Lying to me is unwise, sir.”

“I’m sure I’ve only misplaced it, sir…” the merchant stuttered, in obvious horror now. Jhin resisted the urge to snort: frightened subjects always unnerved him somehow. “There’s no chance it can be lost.”

“What is?”

“Whisper’s design blueprint, sir…”

The Virtuoso’s eyes widened. A second later he began laughing.

The shopkeeper physically backed away, shivering in terror.

“Oh! Zed,” Jhin chuckled, feeling extremely vibrant. Whisper was singing to his ears: _Your enemy knows._

“Zed… sir?” curiosity helped overcome the fear in the merchant as he asked “it’s impossible! We have nothing to do with the Master of Shadows. It must be in the vault somewhere, I’m sure…”

“Don’t waste your effort,” the Virtuoso said, his voice dropping low “you won’t find it. Can you still take care of Whisper without it?”

“Of course, I had the design memorized. I just wanted to make sure everything was up to the quality you hoped…”

“Then have faith in yourself, sir. That seems the only option now,” he smiled, putting all the parts of his arsenal down the table. Without them, he felt lighter, yet emptier, as if a vital part of him was missing.

The forger squirmed, but he was no longer on Jhin’s mind. He was busy being inspired.

Zed had caught on. Even til then, he remained worthy of being Kusho’s brightest student. He was blessed with aptitude, ingenuity and curiosity hardly matched by any other. Cracking open a safe and then putting it back, undoubtedly in a limited time frame, was, fairly speaking, an incredible feat. Kusho must have been proud…

He should have expected Zed to catch up. The man was still an excellent warrior. However selfish he might be, he would never let Jhin go on a rampant.

He always cared. That was his downfall.

All the better.

If Zed cared, he would suffer for it. The Virtuoso made sure that was the case.

Now, where would he plan this masterpiece? He decided, yes, it would be back at the beginning. At Zhyun. Jyom Pass. The Festival.

Zed would expect him there. He would expect him to expect him there, to be exact.

There was a lot to be done, Jhin told himself. Luckily, he had all the time he might wish for.

* * *

 

“He knows,”

Vladimir stared at him questioningly.

“He knows.” Zed repeated in a more urgent tone.

“What happened?”

“I placed a seal on the safe containing Whisper’s blueprint. Last night, it’d been opened. Armories only refer to blueprints if there’s maintenance or rebuild necessary. That means…”

“Khada Jhin has returned to Ionia.” Lulu finished.

“Of course, sooner or later he’s bound to get bored,” said Vladimir neutrally “he considers Noxus quaint, anyhow.”

Zed took a long, deep breath, trying to contain the urge to lash out at something, at _anything._

“Calm down,” he heard Vladimir said “your heart just picked up its pace. That can’t be good.”

Lulu touched his hand with a reassuring face. He nodded, shoving his emotions down. He could vent them off later somewhere else. He could not afford to lose control here, in front of the two people who were willing to support him.

“Revenge,” he spoke slowly “he wants revenge, against those who incarcerated him.”

“That would make quite the performance, but don’t you think his audience is being a little risky?”

Zed shook his head

“If the prison couldn’t stop Jhin, a number of big wigs won’t be able to do anything if he actually wanted it. At least, if they value their lives.” Zed added with a smirk “it seems your job is easy now.If he’s no longer working in the shadows, his sponsors can be revealed quickly. You have no reason to be here anymore.”

“No!” Lulu protested “we are going to get him together! You can’t go.”

“That actually makes a lot of sense. But I’m staying. You heard the little devil. Besides, I can already see you’re gonna be in a lot of trouble that may require my… expertise.” Vladimir smiled “don’t worry, Zed, I’m interested. Just so you know, if you think I’m doing this out of good will.”

“You are.”

“Am I?”

“Whatever, if you want to waste your time, fine.”

“My pleasure,”

Lulu smiled. Her friends were getting along. That was good news. This way, Zed’s darkness would not consume him. The Shadow would not be able to control him. It might be too soon for him to accept the truth, but for now it would do.

Zed looked at her, smiling in defeat.

“Does that satisfy you, Lulu?”

Lulu nodded eagerly with a huge grin.

Zed sighed.

“Well, with both of you babysitting me like this, I probably won’t be doing anything anytime soon.”

“On the bright side, you’re probably not gonna be able to do something stupid. Sorry, not sorry, I have zero faith in your decision making capabilities.”

Zed made a face.

“Ouch.”

“Fair point, your poor decisions did lead to our fleeting acquaintance,” said Vladimir “so one good thing did come out of it, I suppose. But Lulu is right. If you get your way every  time, you’re gonna die because of it. She’s not letting you, and frankly, I’m not gonna, too.”

“Why?”

The mage only gave him a grin.

Zed sighed. People are weird.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hate this chapter, I really do. I just can't find a way to make it better. Sorry.


	8. Ionia: Reminiscences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because it is easier to talk to people you don’t know.

 

Zed unleashed the last of his shurikens, watching them fly and hit the designed targets. The shadow counterpart’s projectiles behind him stabbed into the woods with a sharp noise. Five millimeters.

The silence after the workout usually calmed him. Today, it only served to make him feel empty.

He sat down, the soft, green grass fluttered under his boots, and let his thought wander. He’d never been a fan of traditional meditation. Sitting still and closing your eyes never felt right. He was always at utmost peace when his senses were overwhelmed – by the softness of the grass, the wetness of the dew on the leaves, the warmth of the sunshine streaming down the woods, and the sounds of nature. He’d once been able to derive calmness, harmony, lying down in the middle of the woods for hours on end. Though his mind would never be able to quiet down once more, he still secretly treasured his time in the woods, every time after training, like he used to. It’d become his personal ritual. This was where he could think… he was allowed to think.

Things had… been crazy.

If he were able to come back in time to warn his old self what would happen, that Zed would have laughed. Even now, it still seemed hard to believe, the idea that Jhin would someday escape… the idea that he could have companions.

He liked Lulu, plain and simple. There was no other way to get to it. That was why he never wanted her involved. And now he’d upset her…

Vladimir… was a different story. The man was, in a way, even more baffling than the Fae Sorceress.

And Jhin…

Zed had never failed to chastise himself for his own weakness, how he was so easily fooled and trapped. It was his own doing. Had Vladimir not been there (damn), many people would have died. Well, more people than those he already failed to save.

The haunting images of the past resurfaced, and he pushed them down harshly. They could plague him in his sleep. At least let his mind stay clear when he was awake.

He could feel the Shadow sneering, but he could care less.

He had always failed.

Zed didn’t notice another person’s appearance until he was five feet strides away. But he had no mind to acknowledge the fact he was distracted.

“Vladimir,” said Zed “stalking much?”

The Hemomancer shrugged

“It gets boring staying inside after a while. I do like exploring new lands. You have beautiful woods.”

At Zed’s lack of reply, he continued, to the point.

“Besides, I figured you may want company.”

“I’m sure that’s what you want when you sneak into the woods.” Zed said, sarcasm in his voice.

“Don’t people hide to be found, Zed?”

The question stung more than he thought.

“I wouldn’t say so.” He replied.

Vladimir walked up and sat down next to him. He glanced around, taking in the aftermath of the training.

“How do you aim those ninja stars without seeing them?”

“Some simple calculations,” said Zed “the shadow mimics my exact movements. With enough positioning and calculation, I can make it hit my desired target… with room for error five millimeters, if I don’t have vision of the target.”

“I’d hardly say simple calculations. That is amazing, actually.” Vladimir said appreciatively “do you often train here?”

“Yeah, this is sort of my place.”

“My apologies for the intrusion,”

A moment of silence passed by. Zed sighed.

“Actually, what do you want, Vladimir?”

“Ah, that is the ever baffling question, isn’t it?”

“I’m serious. Why are you still here? Your quest is already covered. You have more than one might wish for. Just tell your mistress to ready her strings and wait for the right moment. You can be back at your own home right now…”

“…and attend long, boring council meetings that probably will go nowhere, read the latest books I ordered, kill some people… really, don’t they sound fun?” Vladimir smirked “you assume everybody must do something for a particular gain.”

“Well, duh?”

“Can’t I just be here because I feel like it?”

“Then why do you feel like it? From my experience, there’s no such thing as ‘feel like it’. Everyone has a motive they act on.”

“Wow, tough world you’re living in.”

“You’re a Noxian. Don’t tell me your fellow Noxians do things because they ‘feel like it’.”

“Why no, of course, though you can make an exception out of Draven… anyway, the point is, I don’t have one. That is, if you do not count the occasional racking-up-some-bodies thing a design.”

“Forgive me if I don’t believe you. People don’t do things unless it benefits them.”

“Of course, but what benefits are we talking about? Is it just exploitation? If you do something you like, is that a benefit or not? Say, I like talking to Lulu. That is an action in my ‘benefit’, isn’t it?”

“So you’re saying you like my company?”

“You should rebrand yourself Master of twisting one’s words,” Vladimir snorted “no, we’re not there yet, sorry. Yet, I am interested in your wellbeing, for several reasons, mainly because you’re an interesting man. And if you’d like to talk…”

“Why would I want to talk to you?”

“Because people like talking to strangers."

“What the hell are you drinking?”

“No, I’m serious…kinda. I am completely outside of your personal life. To you, I am simply someone cooperating with you because you can provide me what I want. I’m not someone you are attached to, so you’re not scared of me getting hurt, or my hurting you.”

“I…”

“You’re an insecure person, Zed. You’re afraid of trusting people, even those you love, either because you hurt them or they hurt you. Or should I say a little bit of both?”

…

“Damn it, Vladimir, you’re such a wiseass.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Zed sighed. The mage did have a point.

“I guess you’re right… at some part. Back then, it seemed like no one would listen. Everyone expected you to uphold balance and act like it without any due explanation…”

“I can imagine.”

“I used to train here myself when I was younger,” yes, he was digressing, but he didn’t mind it “when I wasn’t training, I study everything around me. I know the area as well as the former Master could, every tree, every flower, every stream…”

He closed his eyes, taking in the peaceful silence. For some reason, he was talking. Crazy, right?

“And occasionally, when I sought refuge here, sometimes Shen or his father would come. They were the only ones who could find me.” A saddened smile crossed his lips. Master Kusho would greet him normally, as if his running off to be alone was routine (which it kinda was), asking after his studies and attentively listened to his own childish comments. Shen on the other hand would sit with him and did whatever he’d been doing together. If there was nothing to do, they would come up with activities on their own: rock climbing, fishing, swimming, playing go, with Shen occasionally throwing in some witty statements and they would both laugh. Many things happened in these, woods, the emotions accompanying them, he could recall them so easily, anytime he allowed himself to think of them.

How far away those times were.

He could hear Vladimir chuckle slightly.

“You asked what I actually wanted, Zed?”

“Oh, you are gonna tell me now?”

“You answered my question. It’s only fair I tell you mine. I want to know what I actually want.”

Zed turned to give him a confused look.

“Really?”

 “I was raised in a typical middle class aristocrat family. My parents… I hardly remember them. I only knew that they gave me all I needed to live, and nothing more. I was fed, raised, taught by others, and I could hardly remember what took so much of their time. After I, well, killed two boys, I did what I had to survive. I ran. I studied blood magic. I housed the Hemomancer. All of that was for survival. But now that my survival is guaranteed, what’s next? What do I expect out of this life?”

“You’re a lucky person.”

“Oh?”

“You have everything you could have wanted. You’re not bound by any regrets, wishes, or idiotic could-have-beens.”

“They are not idiotic,” said Vladimir firmly “they exist because you treasure what have been lost, because you truly loved them. If you do not know compassion, or love, you will never know fear, anger, hatred or regrets.”

The mage smiled with a touch of melancholy.

“You should respect that. Not everyone has had the honor of having loved or being loved.”

Zed blinked.

What had love done to him? Love was weakness. Without love, it could not have been that bad.

“If you don’t, you can’t be hurt.”

“I’ve heard that before,” Vladimir smiled “that is true, I suppose. But… I am as human as you are, Zed. At some point any human would ask that question: why am I here? So, I want to know what I want. Does that satisfy your inquiry?”

“Except it makes zero sense to me,” Zed smirked.

“You’ve gotta have a motive, as you said, to act upon. Consider that mine. What about you?”

….

What did he want?

“Fuck you,” he spoke, mostly to himself rather than the man next to him.

Vladimir laughed out in amusement.

“Don’t worry, you’ll figure it out.”

“At the time, though, I want to stop Jhin. I must stop Jhin. At least that part is clear for me.”

“You’re being positive,” said the caster with the slightest bit of sarcasm “that’s encouraging.”

The assassin took a deep breath, laying down onto the grass.

“Damn, why am I telling you all this?”

“I think I’ve already answered that. I am not someone you care about. It’s easier to tell me things. Do you often lay down on the grass like that?”

“Haven’t done it since I was fifteen or something,” said Zed “it feels good. Wanna try?”

“Aren’t you afraid of… insects, snakes, or dirt?”

“Ah. They won’t bite.”

“Okay… I would politely decline, I’m afraid.”

“Are you seriously afraid of snakes and bugs, though? Just asking.”

“Just asking is never just asking. And of course I am wary of those things. They make me uncomfortable. And I’m sure they _do_ bite.”

…

“There, now that is a topic we’re all comfortable with. If you don’t like talking about personal stuffs, we can discuss universally appealing topics. Humans like talking, after all, we are a social animal. As another reader, I am open to discussions.”

“That I can relate,” said Zed “sharing what you want is satisfying. It’s a pity all the books at the Old Order had mostly been scavenged by Shen. I still have some scrolls there yet to finish.”

“Bummer, isn’t it?” said Vladimir, standing up “well, I’ll be leaving you alone at “your place”. Thank you for listening.”

Swiftly, the Hemomancer removed himself from the scene and disappeared.

Zed relaxed, closing his eyes again. Strangely enough, he was feeling peaceful again.

 


	9. Ionia: Zhyun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zed and co. visit Zhyun.

He’d once promised himself never to return to this place: to the beginning of the end.

Who would have thought, that one day, he would be walking on that same path leading to the village again?

He unconsciously let out a heavy sigh. The smell of spring penetrated his lungs, bringing him back to one simple spring morning when he first walked on this very path, with two other companions…

* * *

 

“This district is beautiful, isn’t it?” said Shen in barely contained excitement – there was one time when he was that young and eager.

Master Kusho nodded in agreement. He was a middle-aged man then, and even in his disguise one could read the impressive stature of a warrior. His beard was still red then – the same hair color with Shen. That was the beginning to the end.

“Don’t you think it is strange, father? I don’t sense any demonic aura. If the case is as severe as we were led to believe…”

“Some demons are capable of disguising their trace,” said Kusho “according to Zhyun’s letter, this ‘Golden Demon’ has been elusive for years. You must not let down your guard, both of you.”

“Of course,” said Shen “what do you think, Zed?”

The young Zed snapped out of his trance of thought: he was busy admiring the beauty of the flora and fauna of the land. He turned to acknowledge his friend.

“Hmm?”

“You don’t seem awfully interest,” said Shen curiously “I thought you’d be more excited. We’ve finally got a chance to see what a real demon looks like!”

Zed mumbled an incoherent reply. It wasn’t exactly his first time facing a demon, but they did not know that.

“Of course I am,” he said. It was his first time he’d got a chance to work directly in the field, to use his talents to actually help people. No matter how much he was told this was serious business, the eagerness of youth and the excitement of an adventure couldn’t be hindered.

It was the first, and the last time.

 “Now, boys,” said Master Kusho in a cautionary tone “this mission is potentially perilous. People have died. The reports have not been reassuring. Don’t get your hope up. This won’t be an easy case.”

Indeed.

The two boys smiled back at him.

“I know, father!”

“I know, master!”

They both said, at the same time. There was still a hint of innocence and lightheartedness in their eyes, something that would never come back, along with a lot of things, once they entered this village.

Master Kusho’s expression softened a little, and he nodded.

A warm spring breeze blew by, carrying with it tiny sakura pellets. Zed watched the petals dancing in the blue sky with a smile. Spring had already come.

* * *

 

“Zed,” Vladimir called, snapping Zed out of his flashback. Memories merged with the current scene. He looked up to find Zhyun’s gate waiting.

His current companions were looking at him. They did not ask what he was thinking, probably because they both had an idea or two, the brilliant people they were.

Zed let out another sigh.

“Welcome to Zhyun,” he said flatly “town of the blossoms.”

“So aptly named,” Vladimir agreed. Indeed, this town was one with nature. Flowers were the town’s main merchandise, and could be seen everywhere: on the farmsteads, by the roads, or sold by vendors. Zhyun was a surprisingly busy town despite being a rural area. The village attracted visitors all over Ionia, mainly because of the diverse and beautiful woods encompassing it. Renowned artists were known to have come here for inspirations (how ironic).

The Master of Shadows consciously controlled his every step, glancing around to make sure, despite how unlikely such a situation could happen, that Khada Jhin was not part of the crowd. The four years undercover in this town left him memorizing its every street, every corner, and every house. And his innate physiology did not allow things to be forgotten, which was really inconvenient, although he reasoned that, even without his eidetic memory, forgetting about Zhyun was impossible.

“Are you alright?” asked Lulu kindly. Zed smiled to assure her.

“It’s still under control, thank you.”

After more than ten years, the town didn’t differ much from what he remembered. The same small, elegant wooden houses lined up alongside the main road, with vendors selling different merchandise. Rice and various flowers were cultivated on the farms a mile off North. On the opposite direction was the center of the town, where the district’s council used to stand.

Lulu and Vladimir were both inspecting everything in their own curious ways, apparently very interested in the culture and lifestyle of the Ionians (or, particularly, Zhyun’s Ionians). As someone who used to marvel at new things, Zed could understand their sentiments. He’d once been there, too, trying to take in everything his eyes could see.

He doubted anyone would have remembered him. After all, it had been a long time. But who knew? Maybe a boy with golden eyes was bound to leave a longer-lasting impression…

“Now that we’re here,” said Vladimir, satisfied with his findings for the moment “what’s your plan?”

“I was planning to come threaten the governor,” said Zed frankly “and try to get what he knows about the people commanding Jhin, and his whereabouts.”

“What an awfully straightforward fellow you are,” said Vladimir with only the slightest bit of sarcasm. Zed had to admit, in retrospect, the mage was probably right.

“Well, what’s your better idea?”

“You’re the master mind, Zed. I’m only the guest.”

“Anyway,” said Zed brusquely “that plan isn’t gonna be carried out. The governor has left town a day ago.”

Vladimir raised an eyebrow.

“How did you know this?”

“My ninjas do monitor the political scheme, at least the more public part,” said the ninja “ _and,_ I read the bulletin board at the gate.”

“How observant,” said the mage “so, why did you still come?”

“There’s a chance Jhin might show up here,” answered Zed, suddenly sober “or that he might expect me to show up here. Either way, this is our best lead.”

The other two nodded. Lulu spoke up.

“For some reason people are more excited. They seem to be looking forward to something. What’s the occasion?”

“It’s the festival to celebrate spring,” Zed replied “the Blossom Festival, it’s called. The main venue is down at Jyom Pass,” he pointed to the east - indeed, people seemed to be gathering there “it’s a tradition of Zhyun. People would gather together to watch the blossoms under the sakura trees. There are other events held as well.”

“It sounds fun! Can we go?” asked the yordle.

“If you want to. I will not be accompanying you, however.”

“Why?”

“Khada Jhin used to be a theatrical stagehand. The Festival about ten years ago was when he was captured.”

…

“I see.”

The three stopped at a crossroad. Zed grimaced. A trip down memory lane, indeed this was.

On their right was a series of abandoned houses.

“These houses used to be resided; before the ‘Golden Demon’ decided to pay a visit,” five months, each month a family was killed “no one dared to occupy these anymore, even after the truth about the Demon was revealed.”

He stopped in front of the first house in line.

* * *

 

Nothing could have been as appalling as the scene unveiling before his eyes then. It was the first time he’d seen such meticulous cruelty put together.

It was the first time he saw someone murdered by Khada Jhin.

He knew he’d been shaking unconsciously. Shen was also the same. Master Kusho, the experienced warrior he was, was the only one staying calm, yet undoubtedly the Eye of Twilight was disturbed as well.

“Who could have…?” he mumbled.

The inside of the cottage was painted with blood, its intoxicating smell almost tipping Zed over. The body was mutilated beyond recognition, displayed so intentional and delicate that one might appreciate, that is, if one spoke the language. Zed never found any of his works beautiful, but a sense of wrongness always accompanied them. He only felt disgusted… horrified… sick. All appropriate responses, really.

Shen was the first to break the silence.

“There’s no trace of a demon.”

Master Kusho nodded. Zed grimaced. Such violence, intentional killing, and the demon left no aura behind?

“We will take a further look at the premise. Zed, can you?”

The young ninja nodded numbly. He forced down his irrational shaking and took out his sketchbook. No demon would be this meticulous. No demon would be this intentional.

His pencil hovered above the sketchpad, shaking. He swore inwardly. The murder scene had already found its way into his mind, and there it would stay forever, haunting him both in dreams and awake.

A reassuring hand grabbed his shaking one and held it gently. He had to admire Shen. Even in the most discouraging situation, Shen’d always been able to act strong.

Shen’s blue eyes looked into his golden ones. He was disturbed, no doubt; the fear still visible in his eyes, but he didn’t look away. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Zed finally nodded, and Shen let his hand go.

His hand was not shaking anymore.

“We’ll get him,” said Shen determinedly.

Zed nodded again. His pencil began to run across the paper, taking down one of the Virtuoso’s canvases without him looking up a second time.

* * *

 

Subconsciously, his feet were taking him down the street, across every vacant house. With each house he passed, unrequited, yet inevitable memories resurfaced. He remembered each and every murder associated with each house. Reality and reminiscence seemed to be merging before his eyes.

“I hope these houses are public property,” Vladimir said nonchalantly, snapping Zed out of his thoughts.

“Why do you ask?”

The mage simply pointed towards the Fae Sorceress, who was unlocking the door to one of the houses.

Zed’s jaw dropped.

“Lulu, what are you doing?”

Lulu looked back.

“I’m investigating,” she said, innocently “these houses are abandoned, right?”

“They are,” practically, they were public property “there aren’t any rotting corpses inside, if you’re asking.”

“That isn’t necessary,” said Lulu, finally casting the door open. Dust and mold filled the air “you don’t have to come with me.”

“But…”

“I’ll look after her,” said Vladimir, walking pass him to enter the house “take your time.”

Zed only nodded. He watched the duo entering the houses, memories once again parallel with reality.

How many houses had they entered, how many fields of death had they witnessed, until the Virtuoso had been stopped?

(He could name a number, obviously, if he allowed himself to entertain the thought.)

And now, such monstrosity of a man was out there, once more. He’d killed again. And he wouldn’t stop. All because of his failure…

Zed shook his head. He’d not allow Jhin to haunt him in his waking hours.

* * *

 

“That’d be the end of it,” said Vladimir after the two had already taken a detour around the designated house “would you like to take a look at another?”

“It’s not necessary. One prototype is enough.”

Lulu had been scrutinizing every bit of detail, things he could and could not see, of the former crime scene of the Virtuoso. She conversed with Pix frequently, in a tongue he did not understand. The Fae seemed a little restless.

The young sorceress closed her eyes and sat down in the middle of the doorway.

“I enter the house. It seems to me a blank canvas – pure, yet plain, as if beckoning me to elevate it, unveiling all the textures and colors of death. It is performance time. My heart won’t be contained; I won’t contain it. I must be perfection.”

She opened her eyes.

“It is in his design. He fully intends it, despite knowing what it is. He is happy doing it.”

Vladimir didn’t find it necessary to fill in his thoughts. The yordle stood up “thank you for coming with me.”

The mage nodded. He hesitated before asking.

“Is he human?”

“Yes.”

The statement was left hanging in the air.

Humans could be terrifying. They’d all learned.

“He knows that this is terrible,” Lulu continued “but it is his happiness…”

Vladimir raised an eyebrow.

“You’re not defending him, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m trying to explain him.”

“Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Thanks.”

The duo left the house to find the Master of Shadows waiting.

“How did it go?” he asked.

Lulu nodded. “I see now.”

‘Good,” said Zed dispassionately “don’t tell me. I don’t need to know.”

He removed himself from the tree he was leaning on and approached them, trying his best to sound a little more upbeat.

“It seems all of the houses have been undisturbed,” he announced “come. I will lead you to Jyom Pass.”

“Why?”

“You wanted to come to the festival, didn’t you? It is quite a spectacle to behold, honestly. Jyom Pass is where the most beautiful sakura blooms.”

Indeed, from afar, the pass seemed to glow warmly in a soft pink hue. The scene always seemed magical to his eyes. He’d been captivated by the flowers the first time he laid eyes on the Pass, and even now the beautiful scenery still softened him a little.

His feet had begun to walk again, almost out of its own accord, passing every house in the alley one more time. He could feel his two companions behind him, wanting to ask something but in the end deciding against it. And he was grateful they did.

They stopped in front of a flight of stairs, littered with sakura petals carried from the pass by the wind.

“Taking this stair will lead you directly down the Pass,” he informed “have fun.”

Lulu happily skipped down the stairs, followed by the Hemomancer. The latter turned around to address him.

“Is it alright?”

Zed nodded curtly.

He turned away from the stairs to Jyom Pass, and, unwillingly, found himself following an once familiar route, to a small cottage. Ten years ago, this was a shop selling various merchandise, run by a middle aged man with two boys…

* * *

 

Master Kusho had decided to hire the cottage next to Jyom Pass as their dwelling. From this small house, one could take in the whole Pass below, seeing the whole valley lit up in pink flames every time spring came. Both of his children were happy with this decision, especially Zed. whenever not working on discussing or dissecting the crime scenes, Zed would sit by the windows, glancing at the valley below, admiring whether the gentle pink hue of sakura, the lush green of the summer woods, the orange color of leaves when autumn arrived, or even the winter where everything was covered in snow. Whatever it was that greeted him when he glanced outside the window, it had always somehow brought him a sense of peace.

Yet this time, peace never came. He could not find solace in the azure blue sky, or the ever expanding valley of lush greenery beneath, or the various lives it encased.

It had been nearly four years, had it not? Four years without catching this monster. Four years of failing to save innocent people.

Four years…

For the first time in his life, he wished he could forget.

For everything he saw seemed to be blended with the color of blood, of flesh, of horrifying, brutal deaths that somehow looked beautiful…

He did not find in that any beauty. Perhaps he had always been bad at art.

But undoubtedly, such horrifying beauty had driven many insane.

He knew, that his Master and his friend had been affected as well. The stress had turned Kusho’s hair white long before his age. Shen from the guy who would talk with him days on end about anything, became quiet and awkward. He could see the fatigue and desperation in everyone’s face, everytime they discovered a new case, or followed a dead track.

Something in them had changed.

As for Zed, he’d lost something he could never get back.

The boy sighed, burying his face into his hand.

He wanted to go home.

He could vaguely feel Shen’s presence outside his door.

“Come in, Shen. You were never the best at being quiet.”

The door slid open almost noiselessly. Shen stepped in, but did not go further.

“Zed,” he said difficultly “are you alright?”

Zed turned to look at him.

“Are you?”

…

“No.”

He turned his eyes over the valley again.

Any consolation or assurance that everything would be alright again was meaningless. They both knew better. Everything would not be the same.

Shen had approached and sat down opposite him. He looked up to face his friend, expecting what he had to say.

The former didn’t close the distance between them, but he said, earnestly

“Whatever happens, I will always be here.”

Somehow, those simple words had warmed his distraught heart – the promise that they’d be on the same path, no matter what.

“Thank you.”

* * *

 

How ironic.

He was half-tempted to enter the house, but held his steps in front of the door.

He’d grudged Jhin… he’d hated the killer more than anyone in his life, how a single person could break him so thoroughly.

He turned away from the house, intending to go hiking in the woods when his feet accidently stepped on something…

A golden dagger.

His eyes widened with the slightest sense of dread.

He looked around and found, to his left, foot prints. They led up to a hill. He carefully traced his steps as he followed the prints, all his sense on high alert. After a few minutes, he reached an abandoned building. Zed blinked in surprise – he’d never heard of such a place there before.

It appeared to be a dojo, and must have been beautiful in its prime. Then, moss and flora grew all over its walls. Nevertheless, when he looked up, he could make out the Ionian words on the sign.

Khada. Golden.

His heart must have dropped a little.

Against all odds, he stepped inside.

It was once quite a large, prosperous establishment, its size capable of holding hundreds of disciples. He could see weapons and practice dummies scattered about as he investigated the area.

How had he never known about this place?

Zed walked past the training area to approach the living quarters. He entered a garden, supposedly once lovely, well-taken-care-of, and was greeted by the first and the last thing he’d expect.

A single skull laid on the stone tea-table, its forehead removed.

He took half a step back, reaching for his weapon. The air suddenly went cold.

“Welcome, Zed,” said the signature soft tone of the Virtuoso “to Khada, where art flowers.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lulu has basically become Will Graham. Sorry not sorry.


	10. Ionia: Tête-à-tête

Zed stood still, not moving a single muscle. He held his breath, focusing on the source of the voice.

“Zed,” Jhin spoke calmly, from behind him “calm down. You wouldn’t think I’d perform in this pathetic excuse of a place, would you? It’s not show time, yet.”

“And what is to stop me from cutting you down?”

“That is a boring idea, but otherwise not bad at all. However, we are in the middle of a festival. You wouldn’t want _civilians_ to get hurt, would you?”

Zed took a glance down the Blossom festival and cursed inwardly. Lulu and Vladimir were too far away. He shouldn’t have followed the tracks leading to this place. Why didn’t he think this was a trap?

He couldn’t afford to be rash. Who knew what Jhin might have rigged the festival grounds with.

He heard a small chuckle.

“You’re still so soft, Zed. Did you really have the gall to kill Kusho?”

Khada Jhin emerged from the ruins with an amiable smile, and Zed steadied himself. He’d never failed to be unnerved of how plain and completely _harmless_ Khada Jhin really looked, without his stage persona. Looks indeed are deceiving.

“What do you want?”

“Ah, boring, boring,” said Jhin, waving a hand “I saw what you did at Kashuri, or more exactly, the lack thereof. Very impressive, he would have been proud.”

The assassin grimaced.

“Whoever it was that thought it wise to release you, he’s probably regretting it right now.”

Jhin smiled.

“That is not far from the truth.”

Zed laughed drily

“Homecoming didn’t go so smoothly, eh?”

“People are that quaint. They all want too much and are ready to pay so little. They’ve had their places. Rest assured, our performances will not be deterred.”

“You revolted against your own clients to come back to Ionia. Why?”

“Art is a mysterious thing, and so are its designs. It compels me to return, to conduct the masterpiece of a lifetime. I am happy you survived back at Demacia, Zed. So that you may have a part in the grandest performance of all time.”

Zed couldn’t suppress a laugh.

“Oh, so you’re craving attention? Who’s the predictable one now?”

“And you have not been? Was it not the reason why you dared to open the box?” asked Jhin “someone in the shadows will not understand the grandeur. No audience could ever love you.”

“And you think they’d love _you?”_

“They will.”

The artist glanced down the Jyom’s Pass appreciatively.

“You’ve probably never known this place existed. Zhyun sure brings back memories. This is a martial art school once known as Khada – Golden. This was my home.”

He turned to look at Zed again.

“Zhyun also brings you memories, doesn’t it? You’ve lived here, after all.”

“For like, four years,”

“Four years is enough to leave a mark. I’ve _changed_ you, Zed, as much as you’ve changed me. You and I, we will never be the same man again.”

“What do you want?!”

“Have you grown impatient, Zed?” asked the killer, obviously enjoying this encounter more than Zed was “the Blossom Festival, then, it was just a day like today. We were planning the usual theater, putting up the backgrounds, preparing the props. We were thrilled to perform, like every year, the traditional play, in front of such ecstatic audience…”

_Good and evil are not truths._

_They’re born from men, and each sees the shades differently._

“…who would have known, one of our guests were the esteemed Eye of Twilight,” Jhin continued, his voice rising “imagine the theater master’s face then, when the renowned ninja master announced that the fabled, terrifying Golden Demon plaguing Zhyun with cruel deaths was harmless, soft-spoken stagehand – Khada Jhin.”

The Virtuoso laughed maniacally. Zed used every last bit of his willpower to _not_ pull out his katana, not when all of the people’s lives were on the line. If only he had a way to tell his allies…

As if noticing his struggle, Jhin chuckled.

“Caring was always your weakness, Zed,” he said “you see, at the time, I was terrified. How would you feel when your mask was unceremoniously broken, when someone could see pass what you have raised? So before the Eye could demand handing me over, I fled.”

Jhin stared into his eyes, and the gaze held intense malice.

“But you were there to stop me. That beautiful scar on your face was when I slashed you with my golden dagger in panic. It didn’t stop you, the furious man you were, from disarming me and flinging me into a corner. I thought my life would finally come to an end, how lame such a death should have been, and that was your intent…”

“…until Kusho saved you,” Zed finished, hoarsely “until he decided, that despite having ruthlessly murdered 1400 people, you somehow deserved to be left alive.”

The thinnest trace of mockery appeared on his face.

“Your master was a merciful man,” he spoke softly “and due to his mercy, he’s failed.”

 Zed could feel, vaguely, that his fingers were digging into his palm’s flesh. The supposed pain did not register in his mind, however. He was feeling… angry? He needed control.

Good thing the Shadow didn’t choose to speak up this time, or else he’d have lost it.

He could feel the Virtuoso’s silent chuckle.

“Don’t you think we’re very much alike, Zed?”

This time Zed couldn’t hold it. He laughed scornfully.

“What the fuck have you been smoking?”

“Touché.” said Jhin “but take another look at our standings. We’re both killers, we both killed our father figures, we were both condemned to our current path by the same man… and we’re hunting for the same man.”

Zed’s throat turned dry. Jhin’s statement left an eerie, cold feeling in his spine he couldn’t identify.

“I do not see beauty in meticulously planted body parts,” he managed to say, with a slight tremble in his voice “and I certainly do not make it my job to kill mindlessly.”

Unsurprisingly, the killer laughed out loud, as if it was very funny.

“You do not kill mindlessly?” he barked “how would you explain the deaths of the Old Order’s disciples, on the day you murdered Kusho? Were they not only students, _innocent_ students? Who was really the cold blooded murderer huh? If you call me a monster, Zed, then you too are one. We’re both monsters, in the end.”

 _I know._ His inner voice beckoned _I know._

He seemed to have been stuck in time, as several emotions raced across his mind. Jhin… was right. He had no right to play the good guy. He just wasn’t any better than the Virtuoso himself. Maybe, even worse…

“It doesn’t have to be this way, Zed,” Jhin’s voice became sympathetic “We can work together, to ensure the defeat of your enemy. We can create masterpieces.”

“Hah, you’re gonna spare me?” asked Zed harshly. Under any other circumstances he would have roll over with laughter at this ridiculous thought. “That’s not how you roll. Are you sure you’re not high?”

“I’m always high, with artistic inspiration, of course. At first, yes, I wanted to kill you.” It was rare for him to straight up use the word “kill” “but fairly speaking, I realized how unfair that’d be to you. You’re just confused. You were also wronged by Kusho. That man inhibited both of our talents. You also killed him. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, don’t they say? We should be on the same side: this unnecessary conflict is hindering our potentials! Look! Even our appearances are alike – would anyone know who you are looking like this? We’re both no one without our masks.”

His palms were bleeding.

“What do you want?” asked Zed, his voice barely audible and slightly trembling.

The Virtuoso smiled in satisfaction. He’d won.

“I’m looking for the Eye of Twilight,” he admitted “rueful thing is that, no one seems to know where he is. Would you happen to know such a thing?”

“If I did, would you think I’d still be hanging around here?”

Lie.

“So you don’t,” said Jhin, sounding disappointed “that is fair, I guess. He’s really good at hiding, isn’t he?”

Suddenly, all of his raging emotions died out, replaced by a hollow feeling and the slightest bit of _fear._

Shen was being hunted. His life was in danger.

And he had no idea what was coming for him.

(Shen was better than you. He’d never be so reckless. It’s impossible to hurt him).

And yet…

He didn’t know Jhin was free. And Jhin was not to be underestimated. Shen needed to know.

“That is bad, indeed,” fortunately the Virtuoso was barely paying him any attention “my plans have further been deterred. The audience won’t be happy. All the better…”

Zed swallowed his irrational fear. He didn’t have to fear for Shen. He was an enemy now. He was…

Even if he did know where Shen was, he wouldn’t have been able to face him.

He was a coward, after all.

“Well, that is a pity we can’t get on the same page, but I must go on. If I find out, I’ll make sure you are invited. This had been your last chance, Zed.”

He was about to open his mouth to say… something, not sure what, when blood swarmed his vision.

Vladimir?

“No, Vlad!” he yelled, turning towards the festivities. Yet nothing happened. For a split second the killer looked appalled, but then he only smirked before vanishing into the ruins of the school.

“Blast, ran again,” said Vladimir, calling back the rest of the unused blood “sure a slippery man.”

Zed blinked, looking around, ascertaining if he was alive, and if the others were as well.

“Lulu has nullified all the magical nuke points,” Vladimir explained “she can see through any magic pattern and undo it. The people are safe.”

“How did you know?”

“Your palm is bleeding,” the mage pointed out, and only then did Zed open his palms. Indeed, they were bleeding from nail marks, with a slight soreness only now registered in his mind “I put a small surveillance on your status” (read: blood) “I hope you don’t feel that your privacy was violated.”

“No… that was a good call. Where’s Lulu?”

“She’s getting lunch; saw a pancake stand and thought it delicious. Are you alright?”

“Ah… I’m fine.”

“If you want, I can do something with that,” Vladimir politely offered.

Zed looked down at his hand and slowly nodded. Immediately, all the blood retracted and the wounds closed.

Vladimir was talking a walk around the abandoned establishment.

“This was a really nice place, but uh, I think someone splashed blood on _everywhere._ I mean, literally _everywhere._ And all the blood and innards belonged to one person. Is this his work?”

Zed nodded numbly.

“This must have happened quite a while ago… are you okay?”

“I… uh… sorry, I need more time,” said Zed, suddenly feeling sick. “I’ll… tell you all about this later.”

Then the ninja abruptly ran pass him into a shadow portal and disappeared. Vladimir’s gaze followed him.

“Why did you not stop him?” he asked “It isn’t wise leaving him like that.”

“It can’t be helped,” replied Lulu, appearing out of nowhere “he does need his time alone. He’s only human, after all.”

“Indeed,” said Vladimir appreciatively “our killer, his history goes way back, huh?”

“Who was it that died, Mr. Vlad?”

“His father,” Vladimir smirked wickedly “ah, it’s not only me who has parental issues, huh?”

Lulu approached the place where the skull lay. She frowned.

Vladimir asked

“So, is this any help comprehend the killer? You seem to be really disturbed about this.”

“First time I act ‘normal’, eh?” Lulu smiled meaningfully at him “I don’t know. There’s nothing I can do. He truly believes that this act brings him happiness. He acts on a code so different from the others, and does not weigh the interests of others into his system, even if he knows what horrors his actions have caused.”

“In other, more accurate term, he’s insane.” Vladimir said. “If you can’t help him ‘choose happiness’, let’s just help with other’s happiness by getting rid of him.”

Lulu looked up at him disapprovingly.

“Now, Lulu, don’t just pull another late Eye of Twilight, you saw how bad it went with letting him live the last time!”

“He’s… not to be judged by human standards. Humans let him out.”

Vladimir sighed.

“Look, Lulu, it gets way more complicated when you speak like that. We’re individuals, of course, no one can really judge. But if you look at it like that, you’re never gonna be able to do anything. In life, you have to choose a side and stick with it. It’s only life. If one guy decides it is fine to kill anybody the way he wants that guy is obviously going down. You understand what I mean?”

“Of course, I didn’t say Jhin was correct. I’m just saying that whoever let him out should be held responsible. It’s presumptuous to think that a man like Jhin can be negotiated with.”

“They are responsible, but no one is gonna be able to do a thing. They’re the one in power. All we can do is take down the killer, _or_ keep him away from their grasp. Either way, that’s not what I’m here for. The same is for you.”

The Fae Sorceress nodded.

“However it is queer how Zed is obsessed with him,” Vladimir stated “I can understand how his mentality had been terribly hurt by that investigation, but for a person like him now to devote so much time into this…”

“It’s not the only concern on his mind.” Lulu answered.

“Hmm, oh yes.” The Hemomancer said “should we not return before our favorite ninja hurt himself too bad? I can’t wait to try out those pancakes.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tête-à-tête was one of my favorite words learned by reading English novels.


	11. Ionia: Aftermath of Zhyun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Zed tried out drinking for the first time.

Vladimir knocked on the door.

“Come in,” said the Master of Shadows.

The blood mage complied, sliding the door open.

“I’m glad the room isn’t in shreds,” said Vladimir lightheartedly. Zed laughed.

“The woods didn’t share the same fate.”

The ninja was washing his hands with alcohol and bandaging them. He’d been punching things, Vladimir observed. Perfect way to vent off frustrations.

“Lulu bought pancakes. She wants you to eat.”

“Okonomiyaki,” Zed corrected automatically “I was actually expecting her.”

“She isn’t happy you’re depressed, but she said you’d need time.”

“So why are you here?”

“I don’t share the same sentiment, obviously. Besides, you’ve relatively cooled down, so I suppose you won't murder me.”

Vladimir set the dish down the floor and picked up the sake bottle.

Zed picked up the chopsticks and began eating without any protest.

After finishing his meal, Zed sat the dish down and said, with a hand extended.

“Give me a sip.”

It took Vladimir two seconds to comprehend the request.

“You said you didn’t drink.”

“I’m about to. Give me the bottle.”

…

“Is it that bad?”

“For once, I’d like to stop thinking for a while.”

“How’s that never occurred during your life?”

“You think they allowed drinking?”

“You have sake in your stash. As if that’d stop you.”

…

“I’ve never… felt the need – I always had a goal. I always thought I was in control. Until now… All the thinking is giving me a headache.”

“Drinking will also give you a headache.”

Zed laughed.

“Says the guy who called me dull.”

“I’m certainly not keen on getting wasted. What I meant was that you were missing out cool things in your life. Alcohol is quite savory, and that’s why I enjoy it. You, on the other hand, are intent on getting drunk.”

“Well, screw you. The bottle.”

“What can I say? Alcohol is a solution. It is not the solution, however. I’d not recommend getting drunk as the answer to your problems.”

“Yeah yeah, wiseass, can I have the fucking bottle now?”

Vladimir sighed and handed him the bottle. Zed uncapped it and took a big gulp, almost spitting the liquid out, but he held it in, letting it burn his throat before swallowing it down. He breathed.

“This shit tastes terrible,” he observed with a smirk. Nevertheless, he still brought it up for another gulp, before handing the bottle back to Vladimir.

The mage eyed him warily.

“Let me go fetch some cups. It’s better if two are drinking.”

“Do that.”

* * *

 

“I am beginning to see how people like this.”

Vladimir blinked to himself. Zed had drained three bottles already (excluding his drinking already), and still looked kind of sober. Man, being him must have been hard.

“You’re drunk yet?”

“Don’t know, maybe. To be honest, I don’t think I can stand up at this point.”

“You’re still pretty lucid, aren’t you?”

“Is that a challenge?” asked Zed with a drowsy grin “never mind, I’m out of sake.”

 _Thank the divine,_ Vladimir thought. He did not exactly enjoy drunken people.

“How’s the drinking experience?”

“Alcohol tastes terrible. Perhaps that’s why people dig it.”

“I respectfully disagree. Alcohol has its merits. You’re probably right for the latter, though.”

“When it does get into your system, it elevates you, literally, without being literal. It messes with your motor skills and even your thought process. Concentrating on one thing is hard, and I’m seeing several things at once. Yeah, it’s probably gonna be a big headache when this is over.”

“If you feel like throwing up, give me a headstart.”

“Does that not come after all of this was over?”

“It depends on the person actually. Alcohol has an interesting array of effects. It can serve as both a stimulant and a depressant – which means you can be super high or super sleepy.”

“Hmm, it does work, actually. Thinking straight is becoming hard.”

“How would you even know?”

“I just know.”

…

“If I ask a question now, will you answer it?”

“Why don’t we find out?”

“What’s the real reason behind your obsession with Jhin?”

…

Zed snorted. He could feel the last of his common sense fading away, and for once, he could not even bring himself to care.

“The night I returned to claim the box,” he began, and Vladimir almost jumped back – he really was drunk, wasn’t he? “In the secluded chamber holding it, he tried to kill me.”

 _“Oh, wow, Vlad, congratulations, the nosey one you are,”_ the mage scolded himself.

“And… that is why you killed him? Out of self defense?”

To his surprise, again, the ninja shook his head.

“I… don’t remember anything happened in that chamber. Or even what follows. All I could recall were flashes, ideas: the feeling of a blade at my throat, darkness, then blood and death. And there was him, decapitated, and my claws dripping his blood. That was all I could recall. I did kill him, despite having no recollection how I did it.”

His voice slightly trembled.

“And when my senses returned, I realized what I caused. I ordered the eradication of the order. I resulted in the deaths of countless ninjas. And it is fucking ridiculous how I don’t even remember any of that.”

Even when drunk, the Master of Shadows still excelled at making understatements. Vladimir had to praise his mentality – how he could carry the weight of something he probably did, but in actuality never actually did it. Other men in such a situation would have fallen long ago.

How could one come to accept a reality he did not even cause? Perhaps he was stronger than Vladimir had given him credit for.

“That is why deep down… I was so obsessed with Jhin. I was… jealous. It is stupid, I know that. But… he’d rather kill me, his student and adopted son, and spare a mindless murderer who’d caused so much wrong…”

He breathed in deeply, and a strangled laugh escaped his throat.

“But what do I know? He must be right. I am no better than Khada Jhin. I was just as much a mindless killer as he was. Worse, I can’t even remember myself doing such a thing. I’m just as much a monster as he is, if not more. He did it out of artistic inspiration; I did it out of my selfishness and…”

“Stop,” Vladimir spoke up, in a serious tone “that’s not true.”

For the first time since forever, Zed cried. Tears fell down his face, tracing the scar that Khada Jhin’d caused.

“How can you be so sure?” asked he in a murmur.

“I know that for a fact, Zed. But if you keep thinking you’re like him, you’ll become someone like him. Who you are doesn’t change, but who you think you are does.”

“Sorry,” Zed said, with a tired voice “philosophy is too much for my current brain.” He lost all the strength speak, to retort Vladimir’s claim. He wanted to sleep.

“That’s the depressant kicking in,” Vladimir said, his voice slightly more lighthearted “you should sleep. I’ll leave you to rest.”

The mage stood up, picking up the okonomiyaki dish and swiftly left the room. Left alone, Zed gazed out the window. His dizzy mind could make out the bright sickle moon above the midst of pitch darkness, as well as the wet feeling of undried tears on his face.

 _You’re only a monster, Zed._ He thought, burying his face into his knees _no more, no less._

Who knew how long he’d stayed like that, before sleep and fatigue finally took over.

Yet, unmistakably, somewhere in the middle of that, he heard the Shadow speak, its voice morose.

_You’re truly an idiot, master._

* * *

 

Darn, the headache was more colossal than he thought.

Zed snapped his eyes open with a lot of effort, trying to ignore the throbbing pain between his temples. He had been sleeping while sitting with his knees pulled up, which was not exactly the best position to go to sleep in. The awkward posture left numbness in his limbs, and he almost fell over when trying to stand up. His head throbbed again, and his vision dizzied.

He sat down in defeat the moment the door slid open. It was Lulu this time, bringing a bowl of what he assumed to be soup. She was smiling her usual large smile.

“Good morning, Lulu.”

“Good morning to you, too,” said Lulu cheerily “I hope the after effects of drinking didn’t hit you too hard.”

“Don’t learn irony from Vladimir,” said Zed, wincing a little “I’m fine. This is totally in control.”

At least he didn’t throw up all over the place.

The headache and dizziness had been predicted, and would help keep him occupied for a while.

Lulu placed the soup bowl in front of him.

“If you want, I can do something to fix your headache” she suggested “just a pinch!”

Zed smiled “Thank you, but I totally earned it.”

The Fae Sorceress looked pleased.

“I’m glad. Don’t pull off another one like this again, okay? Alcohol is not a solution.”

“As a matter of fact, it actually is.” Zed replied with a crooked smile. He picked up the bowl and began eating. Was it crab soup he tasted?

Lulu pouted “It’s a liquid!”

“Whatever you say, little one. Where’s Vladimir?”

“He’s talking to his boss,” said Lulu “don’t worry, Mr. Zed. Mr. Vladimir has memorized Jhin’s signature. If he shows up again, we will know.”

Zed nodded.

“Did he tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“Well, those dumb things I said when I was drunk,”

“Ah, the truths, you say. He didn’t have to. I already knew.”

The assassin was surprised.

“You know?”

“Yup!”

“About my memories, and…”

“Yes,” Lulu reaffirmed with a kind smile “I know you have no clear memories about the death of master Kusho, and that of the following downfall of the Kinkou Order. I know you have a low opinion about yourself, but that isn’t true at all. You were very brave, in ways normal people cannot see. Don’t let anyone, tell you otherwise.”

“I killed him, Lulu. You can use the word.”

Lulu smiled up at him, unfazed.

“You see more with your eyes closed.”

Zed stared at her incredulously. There was no way she was implying… he was sure the blade that cut his Master down was _his._ It was done by his own hand. Who else could have done it?

“Lulu, do you…”

“Probably, but you’d know more than I do. You were there, after all. You have near perfect photographic memory, you know that.”

“I know, but I could never recall it. It was as if it never happened.”

“You can, when you’re ready to accept it the truth, until then.”

Was his headache acting up?

 _No._ the Shadow spoke up _the yordle is right._

_“How so?”_

_You still fail to recognize it._

_“If you’d stop speaking in cryptic terms and playing the pronoun game, it’d be much easier!”_ Zed retorted in annoyance.

“No, it won’t,” said Lulu “because you won’t choose to believe it.”

Zed’s jaw dropped.

“You can… hear my thoughts?”

“No, it doesn’t work like that. I can hear the Shadow’s exchange, however.”

 _You are quite a sight to behold, Lulu,_ said the Shadow, _so innocent, and yet so sharp. Zed, I’m keeping it simple. We’re not talking._

_“Uh, what?”_

_You can summon my power, but I won’t be by your side all of the time. Not until you realize the truth._

_“How am I supposed to do that if all you do is staying cryptic as…”_

_This is the final thing holding you back, your only weakness. Overcome it, and you can fully be my master._

_“Haven’t we done this before?”_

_Yes, and I’m not leaving you. You’ve been getting stronger, I suppose. As I said, you can call upon my powers when necessary. I just won’t be under your feet._

_“Fine. So why are you blocking me out? Have things not always been this way?”_

_Khada Jhin had touched on the right subject. As the idiot you are, you took quite a lot for that: self-harm and drinking. That has never happened before._

“Oh, so you are sort of angry because I hurt myself?” he wondered out loud.

Lulu’s giggle told him he was on point.

_No way! I’m just tired of being under an idiot’s feet all the time! Don’t get any ideas, the both of you!_

Zed laughed. He glanced at the mirror in the corner of the room. Golden eyes stared back at him – gold, not red. The Shadow wasn’t joking though.

“No more getting drunk,” he promised Lulu “for the time being. I’ve had enough of a hangover.”

The yordle mage nodded.

“That’s what I needed to say. I’m going to leave soon.”

“Oh?”

“The Spring Cleaning Festival is coming in Bandle, and I promised Trist to help with organizing the events. And of course, since I live with her, I’ve got to spring clean, too! It’ll be fun!”

_Would anyone trust Lulu with organizing “fun” events?_

Looking at her joyful expression, Zed smiled to himself. Well, what could go wrong?

“I’m going to be fine. Don’t worry about me, take your time. You’ll nail it.”

“In the meantime, stay safe, okay? Don’t do anything rash – you really have the habit of doing that.”

“As you wish, your ladyship,” he grinned.

“Oh, also, I’ve baked a lot of cupcakes for you, too. My mother used to say that sweets help with sorrow, and I think she was correct! They should be ready by… what, Pix? They’re gonna burn!?”

Zed smirked. He picked up Lulu and then jumped into a portal leading to the kitchen.

_Stop using my powers for such mundane uses!_

 


	12. Ionia: Aware

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the events at Zhyun, the Shadow temporarily left its host to pursue its own agenda. After 200 years in custody, what does the Fifth Demon of the Seven Demons’ Clan plan to do in these changing times?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aware (reads: a-wa- re), short for Mono no Aware, which is the awareness of impermanence and the subtle sadness at the transience of things (“awareness of how brief life is”)

_Awareness of how brief life is leads to fear;_

_Fear overcome causes an illusion of vanity;_

_Vanity leads to greed;_

_Greed leads to insecurities;_

_Through insecurities, chaos is born;_

_And chaos signifies the beginning of the End._

_(Hymn of the Seven)_

* * *

 

The Shadow treaded through the woods without a sound. It felt strange to walk again. He had not done so in more than 200 years. In fact, he’d been so occupied with watching over Zed’s journey that he barely had time to catch up with the world surrounding him. Now that Zed was stumbling back onto an old path, and did not give a damn how that’d affect him, the Shadow decided he’d had enough of his “master’s” idiocy. It was time he got some fresh air.

He had a few things to catch up with.

The Shadow stopped. He could feel the world shifting around him, and hear the vibrations of the spirit world in tandem with the movements of the mortal realm. It’d always created a sort of dissonance uncomfortable to one’s ear (that is, if one is capable of hearing it). The Demon smirked. Tonight, he was welcomed.

Between the mortal realm and the spirit world, existed a land called “Aware”. It was where the two worlds converged - where the two realms were most intertwined with each other. Things within this land existed simultaneously in both lands and yet nowhere at all. It was protected with the strongest of enchants, so strong that even demons could not access. Aware would deny access to any being that did not serve its mistress’s interest. If one were allowed to enter into the land, it meant that they had to have something that the mistress desired. If it were a man, he would never be found again.

Finally, his surroundings stopped shifting. He was standing in front of a classic Ionian shrine.

To men, Aware was a land that barely existed.

To the spirits, it was a land none dared to trespass.

As for them, though, it was where a relative resided, no more, no less.

“Kamala,” a feminine voice intoned. The Shadow winced at the name. _She’s still as unbearable as usual._  

Everyone had annoying relatives.

The Shadow stepped in noiselessly.

“Ai,” he stated.

To the normal eyes, Ai looked nothing less human. She was a beautiful woman with silky black hair, pale complexion, wearing a traditional red kimono and carrying several blades. That is, until you notice how her eyes are of a sharp, cold golden color, how her smile never reaches her eyes, and if you look closer, you’ll have the eerie feeling that something else is under her skin, something constantly moving, struggling as if to break free.

This person is named Ai. The First of the Seven. The Demon of Aware.

“This is a rare occasion, indeed,” said Ai conversationally “I’ve not seen a relative, for, hmm, quite a time.”

“Indeed,” the Shadow agreed “how are your resources building up?”

“I may have enough to last twice longer than mankind. It never hurts to obtain more, nevertheless. I can sense what you have there. Is that for me?”

As all Demons, Ai also lived off a product of mankind. In her case, it was the manifestation of a soul – humans called it spirit blade. Some humans had attained the ability to draw out their souls and used them as weapons to fend off denizens of the spirit realm, since mortal weapons could hardly harm them. The Demon of Aware slowly absorbed these blades to survive, and in the meantime she also used them as her weapons.

The Shadow smirked. Behind him, a spirit sword manifested itself. It glowed blue.

“I’ve taken the appropriate revenge on that Eye,” he said “his sword is yours to take.”

Ai’s golden eyes narrowed with the slightest bit of malice as she regarded the sword.

“Your gesture is appreciated, but why?”

“It is a token of peace,” said the Shadow “you’re someone I don’t want to make an enemy right now, especially when I’m holding your son hostage – this in no way makes up for it.”

“I am never an enemy to anyone, nor an ally. But you’re offering peace, you? How the times have changed, Kamala.” Ai sneered “nevertheless, I will receive your ‘offering of peace’.”

She reached out, and the blue sword began to move towards her, drawn into her and disappeared after a flash of light.

“I’ve always wanted to do that. This would be a good meal.”

“I hope you’re pleased.”

“I am, undoubtedly. It’s a pity I couldn’t kill him myself, but at least he’s dead. The world is a better place without him.”

“There’s still an Eye out there.”

“Those people, they never die out. Arrogant, too full of themselves,” Ai mused “thinking they can dictate the flow of this world. Those who understand this world will know that equilibrium does not exist, especially that which is enforced by _men_.”

“Balance is a thing that does not exist. Or else, you and I won’t be here.”

Ai smiled.

“Does the Eye know about you?”

“Unlikely,” said the Shadow “if he did, he should have come for me long ago.”

“And for what reason only now you came to seek me out?”

The Shadow smiled.

“Your son’s made… relatively interesting compromises. He’s had companions. He’s currently in control, mostly. Thus, he’s also working on an agenda I am not interested in, so I decided to leave him alone. It’s been a while, and I have to catch up on stuffs.”

“Interesting,” said Ai “I did not expect you would come to me, of all people, to gain information. Would Beatrice have not made a better source?”

Of all the Seven Demons, Ai was considered to be the most powerful. And ironically, she was also the most nonchalant. Harboring neither empathy nor emotions (or supposedly so), she never cared about what was going on in the world; her influence on men was relatively nonexistent. The only effect she had on mankind was occasionally luring men into Aware and killing them, extracting their soul. And she’d had thousands of souls, currently trapped under her skin. Other than that, as long as it had no direct harm on her, or Aware, anything happening around her never mattered. She did not favor nor dislike any particular side. The only exception would be the late Eye of Twilight, and that was a story for another day.

“You know everything, Ai, even if you don’t give a damn about them. Besides, getting to Beatrice is hard these days. She’s the proxy leader of Noxus, after all.”

“Very well, brother. What do you want to know?”

“The Seventh’s plan on waging war to the mortal realm, is it still in motion?”

“Oh, yes. You’d not expect the Seventh to give up, would you? Especially when one of his strongest contenders was trapped inside a box two hundred years…”

“It happens. I was careless,” said the Shadow smoothly “it seems that he’s gained quite the leverage upon this land as well. The war with Noxus certainly helped open many doors to the mortal world. This whole land is bursting with breaches right now, whose numbers had never been like this before. Of course, war is gonna complicate the deal.”

He paused.

“Does Beatrice have anything to do with this?”

“Of course not, Beatrice would know better. At the time, she had yet taken hold of Noxus. The invasion was ordered by a man, Boram Darkwill, who, of course, had been killed.”

“Ah, Noxus, such a quaint nation,” said the Shadow “what did Beatrice see in them?”

“A chance to be the conqueror,” answered Ai “Beatrice has always been ambitious, just as her title suggests.”

The Demon of Aware pulled out a pipe and lit it up with a touch of magic.

“The Seventh has been growing stronger and stronger,” she said, after releasing a cloud of white smoke “if the situation further aggravates, there might be no stopping the invasion.”

“Did Beatrice support this?”

Ai smiled briefly.

“No. Why do you think this is the case?”

“The Golden Demon has returned to Ionia.”

“Ah.”

Although not a demon, the horrors and trauma that Khada Jhin had caused was comparable, if not significantly worse, to the effects of a Demon. And as demons are drawn to deaths, destruction and chaos, the Golden Demon’s portfolio only served to aggravate them more.

“I would assume Noxus has something to do with it,” the Shadow continued “since previously the Virtuoso was working in Noxus. If Beatrice wanted Ionia to suffer from an invasion of the other realm, driving the Virtuoso back would be a perfect idea.”

“Khada Jhin is an interesting man. He’s an element of chaos; so far, no one truly has a hold on him.” Ai remarked “Beatrice does not want the Spirit Realm to successfully invade the mortal one. How can she rule over Noxus when the world has been overtaken by the spirits?”

The woman paused, exhaling another puff of smoke.

“On the contrary, Beatrice once was attacked by the Seventh.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. He sent a wave against Noxus. Unfortunately, for him, the Eye of Twilight was there. He stopped the invasion meant to force Beatrice into submission.”

The Shadow burst out cackling.

“The Eye, helping a Demon of the Seven?” he sneered “oh how the mighty has fallen!”

“In return, Beatrice shall not get her hands on Ionia. The Virtuoso has come back to Ionia on his own accord. I assume the boy is looking into him.”

“Of course. That is why I left him. Pursuing a simple mortal is not something I’m interested in.”

“And that is not because you like the boy?”

“You too, Ai?”

The Demon only smiled.

“What is going on with the others?” asked the Shadow, changing the subject.

“Tahm Kench has taken a liking to Bilgewater – the land where the most sinful reside,” Ai answered “Shaco is still being Shaco, and Nocturne is suffering the same fate you used to do.”

The Shadow sighed exasperatedly – Tahm and Shaco had never been much help anyway. However…

“How did mortals manage to capture Nocturne?”

“How did they manage to capture _you?”_ Ai retorted.

“Nocturne is far more powerful than I am.” He argued.

Ai shrugged. “Mankind has surely become more powerful. And with more power, they become blinder.”

 They simply did not understand that, Demons existed for a reason. Inhibiting one of the Seven would cause others to rise.

“Do you know where Nocturne is?”

“I do. Freeing him, however, is gonna take a lot of resources. Besides, Nocturne never likes you. Are you sure you want to assist him in getting out?”

“It’s always beneficial to have an IOU with a Demon,” the Shadow grinned “but you’re probably right. Nocturne and Shaco are the two I’m not willing to involve myself with.”

…

Ai turned her pipe over to remove the ash.

“Is there anything else you want to ask me, Kamala?”

“Let’s talk about your son.”

The Demon of Aware turned towards him with a haunting smile.

“I never thought you, out of all Demons, would be the first to produce an offspring.” The Shadow continued.

“When did you realize he was my son?”

“The very first moment I encountered him,” the Shadow replied “I can realize the similarities almost instantly. The question is: how can a Demon give birth to a human being?”

“Ah, that is the ever baffling question,” said Ai “to be honest, I don’t know, too. I was pretty shocked when it happened. But the boy isn’t just a mere human being. He’s more than meets the eye.”

“And why did you?”

“That is a question deserving an entire chapter on its own. To put it simply: something in me has changed. I longed for someone. And as a result, the boy was born. A human boy, not a majin,” said the Demon, lighting her pipe for the second time “I gave birth to a disgrace – a child to a Demon that is not any part demonic.”

“Zed,” the Shadow said “’disgrace’, in Ionian.”

“I could not believe he held onto the name,” said Ai “he continued to surprise me every time.”

That was not exactly the nicest thing to name your child.

But Ai does not harbor emotions or love. She named him according to what he was in her eyes: a disgrace.

“Is that why you did not get rid of him?”

…

The Demon of Aware smiled, and there was a change in her eyes. Something has changed in those eyes.

“I could not.”

The Shadow laughed.

“Are you kidding me, sister?”

“Hardly,” replied Ai “I could not strike him down. Something inside me did not wish for the boy to die, even if he had no value to me whatsoever. Something inside me wished for the boy to live.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

The Shadow laughed again. Oh, how life is strange.

Ai smirked as well.

“Laugh all you want, Kamala. I cannot blame you. But it doesn’t change a thing. My son is not allowed to die. That is all I know, and that is all that matters.”

And by that, she meant that she literally needed not to know anything else. She only knew she had to keep the boy alive, without any particular reason or affection.

All the terrifying power the First Demon held would only be used to ensure the survival of a single boy.

“He will die someday, Ai. He’s only a mortal.”

“He’s not _only_ a mortal, Kamala. You’d know better than to underestimate mortals. If he were just a normal boy, you’d not have felt attached to him, would you?”

“You still assume that I fancy him?”

“You’re bad at lying, Kamala.”

The Shadow smirked.

“Fine, I might like him a little too much. He is the finest user of my techniques, after all. But that does not mean that I will spare him. Should he succumb to his weaknesses fully, I will take over. I will not hesitate to end him.”

“We shall see.”

“You don’t think I can do that?”

“I said ‘we shall see’. Recent events have taught me that you cannot predict a single thing happening in this world. Some things are best left unexplained.”

The Shadow didn’t reply. He removed himself from the wall he was leaning on.

“In return for your gift, Kamala,” the Demon continued “you will have my word. If the Eye of Twilight ever strays upon my path, I will kill him.”

“Finally, you’re doing something beneficial for the Demons as a whole.” The Shadow appreciated “I have your word, Ai. Besides, I don’t think killing the Eye would be something you hate to do.”

“Indeed it would be my pleasure.”

The Shadow nodded.

“Until we meet again, sister,”

“Good luck, Kamala. I will hold my end.”

The Shadow could feel the world shifting again. When everything came back to normal, he found himself inside his master’s chamber.

* * *

 

Zed didn’t look up to acknowledge his presence.

“I thought you were busy catching up on stuffs,” said the Master of Shadows “came back so soon?”

“Hey, it’s not my fault when I’m not in charge of the traveling.” Ai could deposit people in Aware to anywhere she wished.

Zed looked up briefly before looking down on his scroll again.

“You went to see her?”

“Her?”

“My mother,”

This truly was the most shocking thing the Shadow had learned this evening.

“You know who she is?”

Zed shrugged “I have eidetic memory, Shadow. Of course I remember who she is.”

“How did you know I came to see her?”

“You carry with you the remnants of that world, the slight dissonance within its atmosphere,” Zed explained “you cannot get that signature anywhere else.”

The Shadow laughed shortly.

“Well, that is unexpected. How did you convince the late Eye to adopt you again?”

“I did not tell him. It’s simple as that.”

Oh.

“And?”

“You want to know what?” Zed retorted “if I told him I was son to the most powerful Demon of the Seven, chances are he would not believe me. Or that he would have killed me instantly. Either way, that was not something I was ready to face… then.”

So the old man never actually knew.

“It’s the irony, actually. Ai really hated the late Eye of Twilight.”

“Yeah, she told me that as well.”

“So you’ve met her again.”

“More like, abducted into meeting her,” Zed smirked “no one enters Aware without her permission, after all.”

…

“So what happened?”

“Why do you ask? You’ve known her for ages.”

“And I would never expect her to have a son.”

“In that case I don’t have an answer. She didn’t exactly tell me.”

“How did the conversation go?”

Zed shrugged.

“What would I say? ‘Hi Mom, long time no see. I’ve been doing well thanks to you leaving me to my own in the woods some twenty five years ago’? No, I didn’t say that. I never blame her for abandoning me. In fact, I do not recall any feelings towards her at all. Thus, she’s a freaking Demon. You can expect how well that conversation went.”

The Shadow’s head tilted. Yeah, it kind of made sense, considering the aesthetic of the two’s relationships. Ai did not care about her son, and vice versa.

“You might have criticized her for the name.” the Demon suggested.

“Oh, yeah, ‘disgrace’,” said Zed “it’s not her fault. I held on to it, after all. It wasn’t exactly a false name.”

Zed closed the scroll he was reading and reached for another one.

“I did ask her why she did not kill me.”

“What was her reply?”

“She can’t. That’s cute. Apparently you can name your child disgrace, abandon him to his fate, but cannot kill him. That makes sense, right?” Zed sighed. Again, the Shadow was surprised. Zed was only frustrated by his mother’s contradictory conducts, and was not angry at the actions himself.

It was strange, really.

“Would you rather she had?” asked the Shadow.

Zed looked up at him for a moment.

“Perhaps.”

The Shadow snorted again. Truly, still an idiot.

“So, why did you meet her? I thought she lived isolated in that land.”

“Aware is everywhere and nowhere, Zed. Ai knows everything, even if she does not care about them. Besides, she’s also a relative of mine.” The Demon paused “you know what, to put this in perspective, you’re kind of my nephew.”

Zed sighed exasperatedly.

“Please, no,” he smiled tiredly “you’re too immature to be my uncle. I’d prefer ‘master’.”

“Yeah, that is cringe-worthy.” The Shadow agreed. “Well, _master,_ seeing that you obviously don’t need my assistance, I’m going to drop off now. I’ve got another sister in Noxus to catch up to.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the Seven Demons’ Clan is something I derived from Shen’s lore. The Seven Demons in this story originated from the same land, but deviated and formed their own habitat around the world of Runeterra. They each represent an aspect of humans (aware, fear, vanity, greed, insecurities and chaos), with the final Demon representing the End. They are called by their number in the spirit world (First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh), and are given names or named themselves in the human world. Only the Seventh, who has never appeared outside the spirit realm for a significant amount of time, has no equivalent of a humans-given name, and thus is called by his number. Each Demon survives by consuming a certain product of mankind: for example, with Ai it is human souls, with Nocturne it is their fear and hysteria, with Tahm Kench it is the people who have indulged vices, etc… Unlike the lore implies, however, the Seven Demons in this story do not work together. In fact, mostly they act independently, and some of them even specifically hate the others (The Shadow for example, is opposed to the Seventh).  
> Spirit blades: this idea was formed before Shen’s lore release (yes, it’s that long ago), and I assumed that Shen’s spirit blade was the manifestation of his own soul (now it turns out to be a relic passed down between Eyes) (you can’t blame me the sword literally glows and is transparent). So I theorized about this technique in which one could draw out their soul and use it to enhance their weapon, which is called spirit blade. Each person has a unique spirit blade, which has its own distinctive powers (for example, Shen’s blade can prevent people from being harmed physically). Ai mainly draws on this ability to fight, and since she has thousands of souls imprisoned, she also has thousands of spirit blades to draw from (when you put it like that she kinda sounds like Thresh, right?), which is legitimately pretty scary.  
> In case you don’t know, Beatrice is Swain’s raven.


	13. Ionia: Secret identity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How your real face becomes your mask.  
> Remember the time Zed said literally no one recognized him without the mask? Well, that is prone to create some problems for our ninja, for sure.

A few days after the confrontation with Jhin…

“How are you feeling?” asked Vladimir, entering the room with a set of tea. The blood mage had mastered the Ionian art of tea during his brief stay in Ionia, which was surprisingly quick, although Zed guessed the mage must have read about it beforehand.

“Only tea today?” he teased.

“Who was the one that drank all the wine again?” Vladimir shot back “besides, tea is good as well. It’s not every day I want to get wasted.”

“Did you not say you never get drunk?”

“I certainly _can._ You have photographic memory or something?”

“As a matter of fact, yes I do.”

Vladimir regarded him curiously for a second before sitting down in front of him.

“Would you like some tea?”

“Yes, please.”

The Hemomancer gracefully poured tea into the cups.

“What did he want?” he inquired.

Zed took a sip from his teacup. He was feeling unnaturally cool about all of this, probably thanks to the drinking a day ago. He wasn’t losing control, that was for sure, but he’d always felt a slight sense of anxiety, something he couldn’t quite put to words.

“He was asking about Shen.”

“Ah,” Vladimir acknowledged “the Eye of Twilight is really good at hiding, isn’t he?”

“ _If light travels so fast, how come it’s never caught a ninja?”_ Zed quote with a half smirk “probably his worst joke ever.”

“Are you telling me that the Eye of Twilight is someone who tells jokes?”

“He used to, that is… before…” the ninja died down “well, jokes aside; he is someone who can walk between two worlds. Of course finding him is hard.”

Vladimir didn’t question further. Probably he was aware of the existence of the spirit world, and how the border between the two existed in Ionia.

“Well, what are you going to do now?” asked the mage, digressing.

“I told you, I don’t know where Shen is.”

“Oh. I thought you were talking about Jhin.”

Ah, darn. Busted.

“It’s okay,” the mage added “I totally understand how you’d be concerned about your friend…”

“Shen is not my friend. Not anymore.”

“Lover, then?”

“Seriously?”

“Sibling-ship?”

Zed gave the speculating vamp… I mean Hemomancer a queer look. The latter’s smile stayed unfazed.

“Whoever you define him to be, you clearly think about him a lot. And when his life is being threatened by a rampant psychopathic killer, it’s reasonable for you to be worried, especially if the mentioned party had no idea…”

“I do not…” Zed snapped, but paused midsentence. If he said he did not think about Shen, that’d be a blatant lie. Nevertheless… “I and Shen… it’s much more complicated than…”

Vladimir had a look that probably said “Ah, yes, you people and your complicatedness”, as he was refilling the cups.

“…at least, he will not consider me a friend ever again. What I have done cannot be forgiven.”

Perhaps he’d been a little bitter?

Vladimir seemed comfortable to let that slide.

“I’ve just got a summon from my boss.” He announced.

“Your female boss or male boss?”

“The latter, though I bet the former was involved somehow as well. That’s how things often roll these days. Of course, I am to relay all the information acquired about Jhin to her ladyship. Is there something you’d like me to leave out?”

Zed shook his head.

“You’re leaving?”

“Yes. Depending on her plans, I might, or might not return to Ionia. Nothing is quite set in stone yet.”

“What did Lulu say?”

“She’s disappointed no one is there to watch over you, but there was nothing to be done. I do have responsibilities back at Noxus that can’t be skipped so easily for a vacation in Ionia.”

“What, is this a vacation for you?”

“By definition, it is. I tend to take a lot of ‘vacations’, it’s nothing to be that shocked about.”

“I am not shocked,” Zed deadpanned. Then he smirked “well, that means no one is here to leash me in anymore. Have a safe trip.”

“In the meantime, what are you gonna do?”

“Well, the usual I guess,” He shrugged “I’ll just keep on looking for Jhin, or Shen. See whoever shows up first. Take a walk once in a while around Ionia. Hah, my life’s gonna be so boring once both of you had left.”

Vladimir smiled back. No more quirky companions to keep you occupied, yes, he understood that feeling.

“It’s a pleasure to work with you, Zed. Try not to be too depressed while we’re gone.”

Zed grinned back, shaking the mage’s hand.

“The thought is mutual, Vladimir.”

After all he had been through, nothing could potentially go wrong, right?

* * *

 

He might have spoken too soon.

After his allies had returned to their respective city states, Zed decided to grant himself a temporary break from his investigation. He went to a hiking trip near Zhyun – the spring season around the area was a scene to behold. He was half tempted to stop by the governor of Zhyun, but Lulu didn’t forget to warn him against doing anything rash. Now that he thought about it, it wasn’t such a bright idea either.

During the journey, he encountered a yordle.

It was wearing a purple garb, but his fur (wait, furry yordles were a thing?) was of golden brown color. He’d not met any yordle other than Lulu, and she didn’t have fur. She only had fluffy ears, and she was supposed to be hundred years old. Yordles, he decided, were sure a strange creature.

There was something special about this yordle, however, other than the usual yordle-ness. It naturally possessed an affinity to electricity. Yes, Zed could sense a faint electromagnetic field radiating from it. The potential power was so enormous that he almost took a step back. He raised an eyebrow. How could such a creature exist and what was it doing in Ionia?

After a few seconds, such yordle finally turned around to look at him.

Zed’s eyebrows must have shot the sky.

The yordle had a… shuriken?

“A yordle ninja?” he asked on impulse out of curiosity.

The yordle nodded, scrutinizing him.

“Yes,” he said “that’s not a very proper greeting.”

“Oh, sorry… uhm, I don’t know that they do employ yordle ninjas. Hello.”

To his surprise, the yordle acquiesced.

“You’d be surprised. I am the only one.”

Ah, that explained it.

The yordle sat down on the ground, drinking from a bottle.

“You have… golden eyes.” he observed.

“Yeah. Is there anything I should know about my eyes?”

“Nothing. I’ve never seen anyone like that, though,” said the yordle “I’m Kennen.”

“How do you do, Kennen?”

Kennen stared at him.

“And you are?”

Zed shrugged.

“Honestly?” the yordle asked, crossing his arms “are you some shady person?”

_That’s not exactly far from the truth._

“You telling me your name doesn’t guarantee my telling you mine,” he pointed out “do you often give out your name carelessly like that?”

“It’s just a name. If you have to hide it, that means you’re a shady person.”

“Good point,” said Zed “except that you have nothing to prove whether I’m shady or not. So why won’t we just accept the status quo and move on?”

Kennen snorted.

“Fine then. But I’m going to call you something. How about… Shredder?”

“That’s not exactly my concern, but may I ask why?”

“I don’t know, it sounds nice. Why don’t you sit down, Shredder?”

So, not TMNT?

Zed – Shredder sat down at eye level with the yordle.

“Nice throw,” he said, taking in the target board Kennen had been using “now that I think about it, yordles can make good ninjas. They’re small, quick, and stealthier than humans. They are even more natural than we are.”

“I agree,” Kennen said “although yordles are not that great of physical fighters. I’ve had my fair share of experience regarding that field.”

“Yeah, there’s that. But physical strength does not matter that much for a ninja, if you have enough stealth and skills,” Zed replied, picking up one of the shurikens “copper, light, sharp, accurate,” he commented “specially designed to fit your palm. They are well done.”

Kennen raised an eyebrow.

“Are you a ninja?”

Zed shrugged again.

“You’re not gonna answer any of my questions, aren’t you?”

“It depends on the question. As for now, I’m not exactly a ninja,” more exactly, a ninja on vacation. “But I’ve developed an interest in ninja arts. I happen to know quite a handful of… ninja facts.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“No,” Zed smirked “but that’s all I’m giving you at the moment. It’s not lying.” Not exactly.

Kennen sighed “You’re so weird.”

“With that out of the way, you’re quite skilled. Your blows exceed that of an average ninja. May I ask if you’re from the Kinkou?”

“Yes,” said Kennen “how did you know?”

“Well, it’s a fifty-fifty guess. As far as I know, there’re currently two ninja orders. I just picked one, and since you don’t seem… shadowy?” the more accurate answer would be: because I had no yordle within my order, but oh well.

Kennen seemed adequately satisfied with this explanation.

“And,” said he, deciding to take a push further “since you are a part of the Kinkou, is it too far a stretch to say you’re studying the arts of the Heart.”

Perhaps he did go too far.

“These shurikens are highly electrically conductive. It is designed to deliver lightning attacks. Besides, I can sense electrical energy stemming from you. It is also safe to guess that you should have an alternative to throwing shurikens when foes do get close. There is a technique of lightning which a ninja can summon a field of electrical surges around his body. That is how you deal with those who can approach you, isn’t it?”

Kennen eyed him with suspicion throughout his entire explanation.

“Did I say something wrong?” he had always been enthusiastic to talk about ninja facts, as he put it earlier. That never proved to be such a bad habit until today.

“No. You’re right… more than I think you can be. Do I know you?”

“Err, I don’t know you, so I’m gonna say no.” Zed answered truthfully. He never knew anything about a yordle ninja, even back at the Kinkou, so it was safe to assume this fellow joined after he’d left.

“I don’t recognize you,” said Kennen “if you’re not from the Kinkou, how did you learn about our arts?”

“Your arts are actually quite prolific across Ionia. It doesn’t take too much digging to learn about the basics.”

Kennen snorted.

“What, do you attend Ninja research school or something? Even if such research institute existed, I don’t believe that’s how you got your ‘facts’.”

The yordle’s next move would be too fast for an average eye to catch. In a split second Zed leaped backward, evading three electrically charged projectiles heading his way. They hit the woods behind him with a thud, lightning cracking.

Zed’s eyes narrowed a little. His easygoing expression was all but gone.

Kennen, on the other hand, smirked.

“You’re not so much just _interested_ in ninjas, are you, Shredder?”

“You could have killed me,” Zed stated neutrally, defenses up. He allowed himself to throw in a tease “who’s the paranoid one now?”

“No, I couldn’t,” said Kennen “if you think you can lie to me like that, you’re probably underestimating me a little. Sure, you speak with very studious terms, but I know how much knowledge a normal person could attain. To have such vast knowledge like you’ve shown, you must have been very intimate with techniques of the ninjas. The fact that you dodged my attack then proves that you have the skills to back up this knowledge, and apparently are very well-trained. Someone like you cannot be common folk.”

Zed smirked a little. This should be interesting. Indeed, this yordle was better than he thought. He’d never been good at lying, anyway, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise.

“My bad,” he admitted “I did underestimate you, Kennen. But, you struck with intent to kill. Had I been just common folk…”

“If you were common folk, I would have known.” Kennen argued “ninjas do not kill mindlessly.”

“Truly admirable will,” Zed appreciated “you’re indeed suitable to the arts of the Heart.”

If Kennen was further astonished, he hid it well.

“Who are you, Shredder?”

Zed looked at him with an aloof smile.

“Take a guess.”

“Great, you’re not talking.”

“I told you. It depends on the question. Though if you think about it,” he digressed “‘who are you?’ is a baffling existential inquiry. There’s…”

“Alright, hold it right there. I have no idea what you said after existential. No, don’t elaborate.”

The human ninja on vacation shrugged. Philosophies do make the best tool to confuse people.

Kennen seemed to be thinking to himself. After a moment, he passed Zed some of the golden shurikens.

“You can throw this, can’t you?”

“What do you want?”

“A duel,”

“Dude, I’m armless.”

“You are, which is kinda dumb, isn’t it?”

Right, it kinda was. He was confident enough on sparring to take on any average opponents, but… what could he say? He’d been really screwed up lately his common sense must be fading.

“Admittedly so,” said Zed, receiving his share of weaponry “to answer your question, yes, I can. They’re sort of small, but I can manage.”

It’d been a while he’d had a good opponent not using the arts of the Shadows.

It’d been a _hell longer_ while since he last used the arts of the Kinkou, too.

Kennen seemed enough of a promising opponent.

Zed closed his eyes, recalling the static feeling accompanying the use of the arts of the Heart. He heard lightning crack between his palms and opened his eyes.

Kennen wasn’t hiding his shock so well, now.

“You…”

Zed smirked. This would be really fun.

“You can summon lightning? Well, two can play that game. Your move,”

* * *

 

“Well, that was fun,” said Zed with hastened breaths. He’d not seen such a good lightning user since… well, the former Heart of the Tempest. There had been very narrow moments his hair might have been burnt off. If he were to say, Kennen deserved to be the Heart of the Tempest himself. He had enough skills, knowledge and virtue to uphold the title “don’t you think we’ve overdone this?”

Both parties had exhausted their respective weaponries. Smoke was flying off the ground. Some trees were burnt. That’d have attracted attention.

Kennen wasn’t keen on chatting much.

“How did you…?”

“Come now, don’t make that face. It was fun, wasn’t it?”

“Stop messing around! That skill level cannot be achieved by simply _reading_ about ninjas!”

“You’d be surprised.”

In his defense, he _did_ learn everything about the arts of the Heart by reading and practicing in his free time.

“Look, Kennen,” said Zed in a more serious tone “I don’t know why you seem bothered by this. You are very, _very_ powerful. The only reason I could have survived this fight was because I know what was coming. Ninjas rely heavily on specific techniques rather than outright power. That is why I can fend off your offenses. Knowing is half the battle.”

“You _straight up_ used that power. And you’re ridiculously powerful with that…”

“Look, I just know, okay? Knowing is important.” Zed said ‘and I told you, you’re freaking powerful. I’d say you’re as powerful as a Heart of the Tempest.”

Kennen stared at him impassively.

“I am the Heart of the Tempest,” he finally said.

Zed laughed.

“Nice try, Kennen.”

“I’m not joking, Shredder.”

“Come on, there’s no way…”

And why was that?

…

“You’re not joking.”

Kennen nodded.

It was Zed’s turn to be shocked.

“Are you… really… the Heart?”

“Yes.”

“That’s… impossible.”

“Look who’s speaking,” the yordle snorted “me being the Heart, and you being a ninja master, guess which is more impossible?”

Zed took a deep breath.

“Why are you telling me?”

“Why shouldn’t I? I’m not some shady person.”

“But according to your logic, I must be one.”

“If you’re one, you’re probably not asking me that question. At least, I don’t think you’re a bad guy.”

The Heart of the Tempest thought he wasn’t a bad person.

Damn. He did speak too soon.

_Why, Master, are you hesitating?_

Ah, just what he needed: more probing from the world’s most annoying Demon.

_“Oh, you’re speaking to me now?”_

_He trusts you. You can use it. He can lead you to the Kinkou._

Indeed, he could do that. He could exploit Kennen into revealing the location of the new Order, of Shen. He had a chance to finish what he started.

(Did he want it?)

_Go, Master. This is an opportunity we could not miss. Do it._ The Shadow coaxed.

He could meet Shen again.

(And what good would that do, to both of them?)

“Shredder?” he heard Kennen ask. He must have spaced out for quite a while, as the yordle’s voice seemed urgent “are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” said Zed vaguely. He stared into Kennen’s concerned eyes. That made him both wanted to laugh and feel sick. The _Heart of the Tempest_ felt concern for him. Concern. For him.

(How low could he possibly be?)

_You can’t possibly be serious._ The Shadow scolded _you can’t let it go!_

But he couldn’t exploit Kennen. He couldn’t do that.

“You seem… sad.” Kennen said.

Zed smiled.

_“I can’t,”_ he told the Shadow _“that’d be dishonorable.”_

_Since when do you bother with honor?!_

_“Since now. I can’t bear being that low. Sorry.”_

_Why was I stuck with an idiot like you?_ The Shadow grunted. Strangely enough, it didn’t sound hostile, just defeated.

“I’m fine,” he reasserted to Kennen. The yordle seemed suspicious, but Zed could care less “are you hungry? I have onigiri.”

He reached for his bag and removed the bento, trying his best to act more comfortable. Thankfully it wasn’t that hard, as Kennen’s eyes seemed to glow at the mention of food. He kept his place away from Zed, scrutinizing him carefully.

“Here, it’s my treat. You were a valuable opponent.”

“That means you admit you’re a ninja.”

“I am whatever you make me out to be, Kennen. Come now, help yourself. It’s not poisoned.”

Kennen reluctantly obliged. The yordle picked up an onigiri and bit on it. Zed did the same.

The rice tasted sandy in his mouth.

Why was he even here? What was he doing, with a supposed enemy? Eating a meal?

“Wow!” Kennen said aloud “this is delicious! Did you make this?”

“Yeah,”

“Darn, other than being a ninja master, you’re also a master chef?”

“I am whoever you make me to be,” Zed repeated drily “but I hold my stand that I’m not a master of anything.”

They finished the rest of the food in silence. Kennen was certainly a good eater, though it was not his fault. Lightning powers consume a large amount of energy, Zed can confirm this.

“I’d better get going,” the yordle announced, after all the food had been finished “thanks for the match, the meal and the ambiguity. Will we be able to meet again?”

If it were up to Zed, definitely not!

“I hope not,” he blurted.

“Touché,” said Kennen “I’ll meet you again, Shredder. Count on it. You’ll have to teach me some of those moves.”

Zed grinned, despite his inner warnings against this prospective relationship.

“We’ll see about it. Goodbye, Kennen.”

 “And don’t forget to bring food!”

The Master of Shadows watched the yordle turn into a ball of energy and accelerate towards the opposite direction. If he followed, he’d learn where…

Zed laughed.

“I won’t meet him again. That is for the best.”

The Shadow sneered in his head.

_And we all know how your “best” goes about._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shameless Shredder reference is shameless.  
> Why do I think Zed can use lightning powers? Because he is a know-it-all and a nerd in my book. He would learn ALL the techniques (and because of Shockblade Zed as well).  
> Shen's joke has always been too cheesy for my taste, especially considering he's the least stealthy ninja of the bunch.


	14. Ionia: Spin-off: Who's Shredder?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kennen tries to figure out who the ninja whom he dubbed Shredder is. How could no person in Ionia believe such a person could exist?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was not to be taken seriously. I didn't even write it seriously. My prompt was that: Kennen goes about asking Ionians if they've ever seen Shredder (also known as Zed), and no one believes him. It's kind of out of character, but meh. I'm bad.

“Master Kennen,” a young disciple of the Kinkou order bowed “Master Shen would like to have a few words with you.”

Kennen looked at the student strangely. He closed his scroll and stood up.

“Of course,” he said “did he say why?”

“Yes, master.” The student dutifully replied “He said it had something to do with ‘Shredder’, sir.”

The disciple almost jumped back at the Heart’s uncharacteristic groan.

* * *

 

The day after the encounter with _Shredder…_

Kennen was still baffled by the man he met in the woods. Who in the world was he? Kennen was sure it was their first meeting, but someone possessing such aptitude could not possibly just be a curious folk who learned some tips and tricks from some lost scrolls. He was trained, well-trained. As far as he knew, there were only two ninja organizations in Ionia. And only one of those two taught lightning techniques.

But Shredder was not part of the Kinkou.

The only logical probability would be he was trained by the Order of the Shadow. Except… that’d make no sense whatsoever. The Order of the Shadow took great pride in their own techniques, and would never allow the teaching of the Kinkou arts within its walls. What Shredder demonstrated was, though imperfect, indeed the arts of the Heart.

Then how did someone like that come to be?

Kennen sighed. Maybe he was over-thinking this. Maybe Shredder was just a normal man stumbling upon some wayward ninjas and was taught…

_But he fought a whole battle with you! His knowledge was systematic. He’s not someone who just knows some gigs!_

“Kennen!”

The yordle snapped “What? Oh, Akali,”

“You’re spacing out,” the Fist noted “what’s up?”

He looked at Akali and a thought occurred to his mind. Akali joined the order before he did. Maybe she’d know if Shredder was once part of the Kinkou…

“Nothing much, it’s that…”

And so he retold everything, their meeting in Zhyun, the man’s analysis, their subsequent battle. When he finished, Akali was looking at him worriedly.

“Kennen,” she said “are you sick?’

What the…

“Of course not! I’m completely healthy!”

Then Akali burst out laughing.

Kennen stood, dumbfounded.

“What’s so funny?” he finally asked.

“What do you mean? Good story, you made me laugh! Running into a stranger who had golden demon-like eyes who just happen to possess unattainable fighting skills: that’s the best story I’ve heard for a while. Thanks, Ken!”

That was even worse than Shredder’s outburst when he learned that Kennen was the Heart of the Tempest.

“Akali, it’s not a story. I’m telling the truth. Shredder exists.”

“Come on, Kennen, it was funny, but we have work to do. I’ll get going,” Akali smiled before vanishing.

Kennen sighed. Akali didn’t seem to know such a person, then.

Fine. He’d figure it out himself.

* * *

 

Duchess Karma raised an eyebrow.

“Heart of the Tempest,” she said, politely “you’re asking after a golden eyed ninja who masters the art of lightning as well as you do, and yet not a part of your Order?”

Kennen nodded.

“I see… may I ask how it is even possible?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I want to find out.”

Karma gave him the same suspecting look Akali did, probably wondering if he ate anything strange. Great, another.

Nevertheless, she did not snub him out.

“Is there any other description that may be helpful towards identifying the so-called Shredder?”

“Yes. He’s tall,” freaking tall “dark haired, sounds like a know-it-all and a jerk, but he’s a nice person overall. He won’t even tell me his name, so I call him Shredder because his hair is in shreds. He’s human, but his eyes are really familiar to what you’d see in demons.”

The Duchess looked at him strangely, as if mentally asking “Are you sure you should not be seeing a shrink instead of me?”

End of the line.

* * *

 

“Heart of the Tempest,” Irelia greeted “welcome. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

The other white haired person looked at him curiously. Kennen returned her glance.

As if having noticed the exchange, Irelia said

“Ah, Riven, this is Kennen. He’s a member of the Kinkou. Kennen, this is Riven, a friend of mine.”

“Nice to meet you, Kennen.” Riven said with a small smile.

“Likewise, Riven. Captain Irelia, I’d like to ask after a person.”

“I will do all I can to assist. Is this the affair of the Kinkou?”

“No. it’s my personal affair,” said Kennen “recently I’ve met a man. Black-haired, tall, well-built, golden eyed. He’s a good fighter and well versed in the arts of the Heart. Do you happen to know a man like that during your time as Captain of the Guard?”

Irelia seemed confused.

“Sorry I asked,” said Riven “but you’re a ninja, right? Shouldn’t you know more about ninja than Irelia does?”

“Yes, but he’s not a member of the Order currently. He _might_ have been one at some point, but since Akali didn’t recognize him I’m gonna go ahead and say no. He was very powerful and his techniques were on point. Captain?”

“I don’t think I’ve known any ninja outside of the two orders… but the man you asked for, appearance wise, does sound familiar. Hmm…”

“Ah!” said Riven “I remember! It was the guy at the forgeries, wasn’t it?”

Irelia blinked “Huh?”

“You know, black haired, golden demon-like eyes, back at the forgeries place…”

“Right!” said Irelia, “I forgot. But he seemed… normal? Nothing struck me that he was a ninja master or anything."

“You met him?” Kennen asked, couldn’t hide his excitement. Finally, he had a witness!

The Captain nodded “When I and Riven went to Kashuri to restore her weapon…”

“I broke it myself.” Riven added “it was her idea.”

“Anyway, we met the guy like you described in the weapon shop. Apparently he was talking to the shopkeeper about weapons. He noticed Riven’s sword, too, and knew it was a Rune sword…”

“He asked how it could have been broken. I said I broke it. He looked somewhere between astonished and indignant,” Riven shrugged “the guy probably knows his stuffs. I thought he was a weapon master and the forger’s friend, so we left it at that. You’re saying he’s also a ninja?”

“Did he buy something?”

“Hmm… a hextech weapon, I think. They are really selling these days.”

“A gunblade,” Riven confirmed “though the design was pretty outdated. Can’t expect much from Ionia, I guess – no offense. Do ninjas use gunblades?”

Kennen’s excitement dropped. The guy needed no gunblades. He was probably good enough to take on other people, unarmed.

“I don’t really think so,” said Irelia.

That couldn’t have been Shredder, could it?

* * *

 

The Blind Monk shook his head.

“I don’t think I could have encountered a man you’ve described.”

_Of course, he’s blind. Go figure._

“I see. Thank you, Master Lee.”

The reason why Kennen sought out the Shojin monks was because they were known to be very generous with travelers, offering them shelter and food. They happened to hold quite a large quantity of scrolls, some of which might have been about ninjas. They also taught martial arts. Shredder could have attained his knowledge here. However, Kennen must say that was quite a stretch. Whoever Shredder was, a monk was definitely not high on the list.

Lee Sin smiled.

“You seem to be really interested in this ‘Shredder’, despite only having met him once,” he observed.

“Well, there’s something about him that seems off. It’s not just he was ridiculously powerful, no. Not in a bad way, but he confuses me. You see, he strikes me as a goofy, carefree sort of guy, but then refused to give me a name. Then he revealed himself to be a ninja master. He didn’t believe me at first when I told him I was the Heart of the Tempest. When he finally gave in, he seemed… sad. I don’t understand. If he meant ill things, he’d not have been able to look so sad. And if he wasn’t shady, why would he _act_ shady in the first place?”

Kennen let off his frustrations in one go.

“And that moment when he spaced out – he looked as if regretting something. He looked guilty, as if he was doing something wrong to me. And somehow that was related to me and I have no idea how. But I know he’s a cool guy, and whatever that’s upset him…”

He faltered.

“My apologies, Master Lee. I ranted.”

Lee Sin nodded, smiling gently. He was being appreciative, which made Kennen sigh in relief.

“To care about a stranger so deeply, you truly have a great heart, Kennen,” the monk said wisely “if there’s anything I may do to help, please do not hesitate to inform me.”

“Thank you, Master Lee.”

“I wish you the best of your endeavors,” said Lee Sin, bowing to him before breaking off do attend to his business.

* * *

 

“No, I’ve never seen a man like that before,” said Yasuo. On the occasions that the Unforgiven would show up, Kennen often welcomed his company. Yasuo was a really interesting man and knew a lot of things due to his travels. The yordle never minded his “disgraced” status; according to the man himself, it was a misunderstanding that he was attempting to rectify, and Kennen did not think the man was lying. As a wanderer, Yasuo also happened to know a lot of things regarding the more… shady, underground societies, so Kennen wanted to ask him to know if he’d encountered Shredder in the past.

Well, no such luck.

“I see. Thanks.”

“But I agree it is queer. Someone that powerful should have been famous within the society ages ago.”

“Well, at least you believe me. The others couldn’t even believe such a person existed.”

Yasuo laughed.

“I can see where they’re coming from. But I believe you wouldn’t lie. If I were to say, within the Triumvirate, I’d rather trust you than anyone else.”

“Why?”

“You’re the only one willing to hang out with me,” Yasuo smirked, absentmindedly unsheathing his sword “I don’t believe the Eye or the Fist would ever do that. Indeed you’re a Heart, because you have a great one.”

“Akali and Shen aren’t…”

“I’m not saying they’re necessarily heartless, though you could make a case about the lady. I’m just pointing out that they never use them. You do. That is why you feel concern for this ‘Shredder’. You sympathize with him, even when you don’t know him.” The Unforgiven smiled, sheathing the blade again “just… with moderation, Kennen. The heart tends to hurt you in the end.”

And with such wise words, the man began playing his usual song with his flute.

* * *

 

Kennen crossed out the last name on the list. He’d asked every person he could about the whereabouts of Shredder. So far, the politicians had no idea of his existence, neither did the Shojin monks. Even the shadier societies weren’t aware such a man existed. Kashuri was his only lead; Irelia being the only one who might have seen him, but it didn’t even sound like Shredder. Why would he need hextech to do anything? He could literally zap everything out of his way.

There was still Master Yi he could ask, but he doubted the Wuju swordsman could know more than what Irelia or Yasuo could.

And at that exact moment he’d got to be questioned by Shen. If Shen knew of his ‘investigation’, well, he was gonna be in some trouble.

“Heart of the Tempest,” Shen acknowledged his entrance, with his ever monotone voice “you may begin.”

This very time, though, Kennen couldn’t even give a damn.

“Akali already told you,” he said wearily “what more do you want to know?”

“We can start on how you came up with this Shredder guy,” said Akali “you seriously went around asking _everyone_ about your imaginary friend!”

Imaginary… what?

There was no way, _no way_ they could think…

“Karma sent us an inquiry. Captain Irelia confirmed you came to ask her too. You actually think this Shredder existed!”

“He does! I talked to him, and fought him! I told you where the duel took place!”

“Of course I went to see that! Only your shurikens were there! And only lightning powers were used.”

“Well, that’s because Shredder was unarmed. I had to share my weapons with him. And I told you he had lightning powers!”

“What kind of ninja master goes out unarmed anyway?”

“Ask him!”

Shen cleared his throat.

“Fist of Shadow,” he said “control yourself.”

“But clearly, Kennen is sick.”

“I am not sick!” said Kennen tiredly.

“Kennen,” Shen said (Shen’s calling names? Shoot!) “I can understand the need to have a friend. I don’t judge your having an imaginary friend at all. But going around assuming that such friend is real is quite concerning…”

“You don’t judge anything,” said Kennen “and Shredder’s not imaginary. He’s just a know-it-all jerk with dark hair and golden eyes, who just happened to be really good at fighting. How is that hard to believe?”

For a split second, Shen seemed to have been… shocked. He quickly regained his composure, however.

“Come now,” said Akali “you must’ve read too much TMNT.”

“TMN… what the?”

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” Akali explained “Shredder’s the comic villain.”

Kennen stood, dumbfounded.

“If you want to talk about your problems, know that we’re also your friends. You don’t have to pretend having a friend like that, you know…”

Damn Shredder.

* * *

 

A few days later, at Kashuri…

Kennen stood in place, dumbfounded.

The person looking back at him probably shared the same sentiment.

“Kennen!”

“Shredder!”

It was the same guy he remembered: dark spiky hair, demon-like golden eyes, with a scar tracing his left cheek. He was armed this time, with a modified katana (its length was significantly shorter than the standard) and a gunblade (oh wait, that _was_ the guy?). Kennen blinked again, making sure he wasn’t imagining things.

How ironic.

“Ah, jinxed,” said Shredder “well, we meet again.”

“You!” Kennen burst out saying.

Shredder blinked curiously.

“Me,” he said, raising his hands up “hey, for the record, I didn’t expect to see you here. How are we always running into each other?”

The yordle ninja poked at his leg, ascertaining that it was physical. So far, everything seemed to be real…

“Hey, are you okay?” asked Shredder casually “are you sick? You’re acting strange!”

“No! I’m not acting strange! Everyone is!”

Shredder took a step back from the yordle’s outburst, who now was cracking with energy.

“I am not sick! And they keep telling me I’m imagining things! All because of you, with your smug, assholish carefree attitude, shady actions and melancholic space-out!”

“Err…”

“They think I’m imagining you!” Kennen shouted, infuriated “that I need to see a shrink, and that I read too much TMNT – while I’m only trying to find out who you are, thanks to your being contradictory as f…”

“Wow there, slow down! I don’t have a clue what the heck you just said then.”

Both parties stared at each other for one and a half second.

Then, Kennen, with a deep breath, began.

* * *

 

“Haha!”

Shredder was laughing hard, holding onto his stomach. The outsiders were giving him odd looks, but he didn’t seem to mind. His outburst hadn’t stopped since Kennen finished retelling what his investigations had led to.

“Really, imaginary friend?” he chuckled “is it really _that_ hard to believe?”

“I know, right? What can be so unbelievable about a random jerk I just happened to meet who possess superior fighting skills?”

“Ouch,” said Shredder “didn’t know you have sarcasm.”

“Thanks. Just learned it recently,” said Kennen “this is your fault!”

“Hey, how is that _my_ fault? You totally brought it upon yourself!”

“Ahem, who was the ambiguous one again?”

“It’s not my fault you’re nosey.”

“I’m what…? You totally started it! You could have avoided it by not acting suspicious in the first place!”

“Well, then don’t get suspicious over the tiniest bit of thing. Do you run around asking everyone about any stranger you’ve met?”

“Not _every_ stranger I met is capable of fighting as well as you did and as contradictory as you were!”

That did surprise the man a little.

“How was I contradictory?”

“You have to ask?”

He shrugged.

“You’re a cool, nice guy, a bit of a prick – but you… _act_ as if you’re a bad person. And don’t forget how you looked when I told you who I am…”

“How are you so certain that I’m a good guy?” Shredder wasn’t smiling now. His seriousness made Kennen laugh.

“For someone so smart you can be an idiot.” He said “bad guys don’t ask that question.”

Shredder laughed drily “As if it is that simple.”

“Then what do you think?” the yordle asked back.

He sighed.

“What if I’m trying to gain information from you?” asked Shredder “what if I’m trying to exploit you to sabotage the Kinkou?"

“Then I guess you’d not have acted suspicious like you did, and you should have known everything you needed to know by now. You’re no newbie, Shredder. I know how good you actually are.”

“I’m not there yet… but, how about this? What if all you’ve been doing are bad things, and suddenly one day someone completely unaware of your doings comes up to you and says they think you’re a good person. Would you at least not be curious how one could come to such conclusion?”

Kennen watched him carefully.

“I see.” He finally said.

“How do I feel like that is not the thing I want it to be?” asked Shredder with a crooked smile.

“My assortment doesn’t change. You know what you’ve done is wrong, and you’re sorry about it…”

“Pardon me?”

“You think that you don’t deserve any sort of kindness because of your wrongdoings.”

“No. What’s wrong with that?”

“I’m not saying right or wrong. I’m making a point. So, you thought that my concerns were ill given, that you don’t deserve anyone caring about you. In other words, you’re self-loathing, rather than ill intent. At least, that’s what I think."

Shredder’s gaze was impassive and without any particular expression. The look suddenly reminded Kennen of Shen.

“Even if that is true, you know I’ve done ill things. Regretting doesn’t make you a good person.”

“Yes, it does. To be more specific, it can.”

Shredder didn’t reply for a while.

“Come on, it can’t be that bad,” Kennen suggested “if I may ask…”

“Perhaps in another lifetime, Kennen,” said Shredder, flashing him another grin – yet Kennen could still see the subtle melancholy reflected in his golden eyes “by the way, why are you in Kashuri?”

“Captain Irelia said she saw someone like you here,” said Kennen “was it actually you?”

“Irelia? Oh, is that the Lito swordswoman with a silver haired warrior? Yeah, that was actually me. That silver haired warrior had a Rune sword, can you believe it? That must have been a masterpiece, but she broke it. It’s a pity. Rune swords are very valuable and powerful. They’re supposed to be durable as well, so I guess that woman must have been inhumanly strong.”

Kennen raised an eyebrow.

“You’re a weapon specialist as well?”

“I told you, I am not a master at anything. I read a lot and have a habit of not forgetting, that’s all.”

“Yeah, keep telling me that. It’s gonna become the truth,” Kennen said drily “you’ve got to be the weirdest folk I’ve ever met. Why gunblades?”

“That’s a… personal affair of mine,” said Shredder smoothly, not betraying any emotions “but aren’t they really convenient? Look, you can shoot it like a gun, and use it like a sword as well. It’s both melee and ranged. And your strikes can blow things up!”

“I assume that is why you’re here as well,” said Kennen, ignoring the man’s enthusiastic weapon talk. He was not a nerd.

“Yeah, although it’s unlikely I’ll find anything here,” Shredder said, sounding just a little bit colder “totally unrelated, but the name ‘Shredder’ didn’t come from TMNT at all?”

“Of course not! I had no idea about that series… well, when I met you, at least. After the Fist mentioned it, well…”

“TMNT was kinda cool…” Shredder shrugged.

“It has its moments, though it’s hard to buy a bunch of teenage turtles being ninjas and all that. They’re turtles. They’re supposed to be slow and clumsy.”

“Come on, I bet you have been digging into it as well.”

That was not exactly false.

“I said it has its moments,” said Kennen defensively.

“I know, I know, I used to dig it too. No need to feel ashamed about that.”

Kennen glared.

“You use blades,” he changed the subject.

“Heeding your advice, I decided to bring weapons. I chose blades because they’re easy to carry.”

“So you’re not restricted to a particular weapon?”

“No. I can use a number of weapons adequately.”

“Then what _do_ you fight with? Everyone has a weapon of the trade.”

“You’re asking me?”

Kennen sighed.

“Still not cracking up, huh?”

Shredder smirked.

“I told you, Kennen. I hoped we’d not meet again. But you’ve just got to go out of your way to find out who I am. So, here we are.”

Kennen frowned, feeling a bit disappointed.

“You’re saying our meeting was a mistake?”

“Yeah,” answered Shredder immediately “it’s better had we not. You’ll see.”

…

“Hey, it’s not because you hurt my feelings or I don’t like you or anything. Don’t look so down… jeez, it’s not what you think!”

Kennen laughed.

Shredder was really a nice guy.

“Then we’ll meet again, won’t we?”

For once, Shredder looked kind of defeated.

“If I’m unlucky, then yeah,” he said, flashing him a grin “I’ll be hanging out around the area. Gotta go now, Kennen. Bye!”

“Hey, wait! We’re not even done yet!”

But the man had already vanished (how did he do it so quickly?).

Kennen sighed exasperatedly. He swore he heard a sneer as he turned around to leave the province.

Damn Shredder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So… does TMNT exist in Valoran? Well, it is whatever you think it is.


	15. Letters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I really have a lot of time and still need more time, really.

To whom it may concern,

I’ve successfully arrived at Ionia. My host has been hospitable.

The Virtuoso’s stage name is Khada Jhin (Golden Excellence in Ionian). Roughly ten years ago, he’d been captured and contained by the then Eye of Twilight, his son and the Master of Shadows. Before his capture, he had been working in Zhyun, Ionia, utilizing blades for his performances.

During the Ionian-Noxian war, he’d been released as a tool to inflict terror, currently working in the favor of an Ionian political faction. His hextech arms are undoubtedly obtained in Ionia, and the Master of Shadows has acquired necessary information to trace back its root. His weapon is likely to have been crafted in the Kashuri province.

The prison which used to contain him is called “Tuula”, one of the most secured Ionian prisons.

The faction behind him is still unknown.

Sincerely,

Petals.

* * *

 Update:

The Virtuoso has returned to Ionia. Noxus is no longer under his artistic presence.

Latest sighting is the Kashuri Armories, time frame is 3 hours.

The Master of Shadows had successfully acquired Jhin’s weapon blueprint. The gun is named Whisper – so aptly named. If E. Paige is interested, a copy will be forwarded within the next report. It did appear to be a fascinating piece of arsenal.

Khada Jhin’s purpose is likely revenge. Whether this action was approved by his audience is unknown.

The Master of Shadows is the only Ionian aware of his escape and presence in Ionian, and is actively hunting for his life. The search however is personal and does not involve the Order of the Shadow.

* * *

 Update #2:

We’ve encountered the Virtuoso, in Jyom’s Pass, Zhyun.

Without his stage persona, Khada Jhin is a relatively plain and soft-spoken man. He does not strike one as a meticulous sociopath, mainly since in his opinion he wasn’t one. He is a martial art master, and might have a relation to the now abandoned dojo “Khada”.

He rigged the festivities (the Blossom Festival, it is called) with magical explosives, but not out of a need for performing, but to make the Master of Shadows converse with him. He was able to make his escape when I could intervene.

The Master of Shadows did not take it well, but no permanent harm had been done, for the time being. His status will continue to be monitored. Out of our agreement, I am not to disclose any further information.

Khada Jhin is hunting for the Eye of Twilight, Shen. Thus far he had failed to locate the ninja.

The Virtuoso is a personal enemy to the Master of Shadows, and vice versa. He certainly considered the Eye an enemy to be killed, but whether this sentiment was echoed remained unknown.

Petals.

P.S: Apparently the Virtuoso disobeyed his audience’s wishes to come home.

* * *

 Petals,

Your insight has been valuable.

Khada Jhin had been a slippery man. So far his movements are largely unmonitored.

Noxus is currently free from his murders. If Khada Jhin can successfully showcase his masterpieces to the world, his audience’s sway on him will undoubtedly cease. The High Command can have a break from fearing to be killed in 1001 gruesome ways.

We have information regarding the Eye of Twilight, however considering the current circumstance; the Master of Shadows needs not be informed.

For the time being, I’ve acquired what I need. Swain informs me your presence in Noxus is required. After that, you’re free to do as you wish.

LeBlanc.

* * *

 As you wish, Matron. Petals.

* * *

 Lulu,

I don’t know if this works, but oh well. Gotta trust you on magic, I guess. You’re still okay? Are you eating well? Are you getting into trouble? For someone so bubbly, you just have to go on long, incognito journeys on your own, huh?

Whatever you’re doing, just wanna remind you that Spring Cleaning is near. It’s a Bandle event you won’t want to miss (jeez, I sound like a travel agency)! It’s coming next week, so make sure you come home. I can use a hand in cleaning! Besides, you promised to help with decorating the festivities. I’m really excited to see real magic in the fest (just tone down with the polymorph)! Ziggs is part of the decoration crew too. Make sure he doesn’t go overkill with his creations.

That’s it. Don’t you dare pull another Lulu during this time! Say hi to Pix for me.

Tristana.

* * *

 Trist,

Thanks for the letter, I almost forgot. Of course I am going to come, it sounds really fun.

Don’t you worry, I will make them see ALL the colors (no polymorphs on people, promise).

I’m heading home from Ionia, the journey should take two days max. Pix says hi!

Lulu.

* * *

 Fist of Shadow,

Your colleague, the Heart of the Tempest, arrived at the Placidium today with a very strange inquiry. He was asking after a dark-haired ninja using the art of lightning that you have no information on. It is a queer question, but I must express concern over the validity of his claim. Is the Kinkou Order currently aware of this individual? How powerful is he? Is he a Majin? Because if it was true, then this is a powerful individual we don’t know existed and have no clue on. There’s reason to be cautious.

Sincerely,

Karma.

* * *

 Akali,

Yes, Kennen came. He did ask after a black haired golden eyed man. Yes, I did give him an answer. I’ve seen a man fitting that description before, a few months back. He was in Kashuri, conversing with one of the weapon sellers. Yet it is unlikely that man was a ninja, for a number of reasons. How many golden-eyed men are there in the world?

Is there anything we should be worried about?

Irelia.

* * *

 Jhin,

You have one month to achieve what you can. We expect you to “perform” in Zaun after that. Please live up to your words.

* * *

 Yay, your time has been wasted. Sorry.

Hikari Murasaki.

 


	16. Noxus: Beatrice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing Beatrice - the Third of the Seven, the Demon of Vanity.

“You’ve called me, Matron,” a young woman with sandy brown hair and two mismatched eye (one of a natural brown, the other a mechanical gold) entered the office of the Black Rose’s Matron. She was dressed in comfortable leather gear, with a Demacian crest on her chest.

LeBlanc rose from her seat with an amiable smile.

“Indeed I have. Please, have a seat, Laina.”

Laina complied. LeBlanc came over and took the opposite seat.

“I apologize for calling so urgently,” she said, her eyes glancing over the Demacian crest “I hope this does not sabotage your main mission at all?”

Laina looked down at the Demacian crest she was wearing and quickly took it off.

“I’m sorry, Matron.”                                        

The Matron smiled in satisfaction.

“Don’t worry, none have seen you,” said LeBlanc “I want you to do something for me. Track down this man, can you?”

Laina dutifully received the picture and looked at it. It seemed to be a plain, unnoticeable man – so it seemed. The disguise was brilliant, but she wasn’t fooled. This was a dangerous and skillful individual.

She allowed herself to smirk a little. This case should be interesting.

“I’m glad you’re interested,” said LeBlanc “this is the Virtuoso.”

Laina laughed.

“Vladimir isn’t to be underestimated, is he?”

“I expect nothing less from you, Laina,” LeBlanc complimented. Though she was one of her agent in a foreign country (Demacia, even), Laina had never failed to get information on the status quo of Noxus and the Rose. She was one of LeBlanc’s best spies, all thank to her observant nature and discretion. The girl should have been informed of Vladimir’s dispatch a while ago.

“And what would you like me to do with him?”

“Deliver him an offer.”

This time, Laina was truly surprised.

“I’m afraid I don’t get it.”

“No, you don’t,” LeBlanc agreed “this is the deal. The Virtuoso will receive the whereabouts of the Eye of Twilight, in exchange for Noxus’s immunity of his presence.”

“Immunity only Matron? Can we not get him to tell more?”

“We cannot bargain with such a man, Laina. This deal is as good as it gets,” replied LeBlanc “we can’t afford more instability on our hands. Besides, Ionia will suffer. Ionians are damned the moment they decided that the Virtuoso could be turned into a weapon. I only have to give it a push in the right direction.”

Laina stayed quiet for a few seconds. LeBlanc knew she was no fool. She understood.

“Do we… know where the Eye is?” asked Laina hesitantly.

“We don’t,” the Matron replied “but we know someone who does.”

“Did Beatrice agree to this?”

“She will. But I’m running short on time. I couldn’t wait for Beatrice’s consent – she’s been pretty busy, after all.”

LeBlanc paused, producing a small envelope sealed with the Rose’s insignia.

“As soon as you enter Ionia, the deal with Beatrice shall be made. The rest, I’m counting on you.”

Laina respectfully bowed. If the Matron had issued an order, there would be no need or use questioning it. The Matron always knew what she was doing. Laina didn’t have to.

LeBlanc smiled, satisfied with her agent’s conduct. Laina was a smart girl. She knew where the line was. She knew she should not cross it.

After Laina’d disappeared from the room, another voice rose. It was feminine, arrogant and contemptuous.

“Are you being so arrogant, Emilia, to assume that I will see to your designs?”

LeBlanc’s smile didn’t fade.

“My old friend,” she greeted “there’s no need to be sneaky. Please, come in.”

As if emerging from the darkness itself, a raven appeared out of nowhere and flew towards the room. It morphed into the form of a slender, beautiful woman with silver blonde hair and sharp, golden eyes. The woman took her seat where Laina was just two minutes ago.

“Good evening, Beatrice.”

“Answer my question, Emilia.”

“Don’t be so unreasonable. You know what has to be done. Even if you’re the Demon of Vanity, a line has to be drawn somewhere.”

Beatrice’s eyes narrowed.

“I warned you to stay away from Ionia.”

“And look what Ionia has done to us. Have you forgotten, Beatrice? Darkwill led a war against them. They’ve become bloodthirsty now – they want revenge. We’re still fixing what the man had left behind. Ignoring Ionia is not an option.”

“It’s merely a man. Yes, he may kill people…”

“He doesn’t just kill people. He creates art from people. You’re not human, Beatrice. You don’t understand what an impact the Virtuoso makes.”

“And you do, too?”

“I was once a human. I understand them more than you ever could.” LeBlanc said, leaning in a little “why are you so bothered about this? Don’t tell me you are concerned because of your ‘debt’ to the Eye.”

Beatrice frowned.

“No,” she spoke coldly “my debt has been due. Giving the Virtuoso his whereabouts does not upset my commitment to the debt. _I_ will not aim for his life, but that does not mean I cannot let another do it.”

Demons, LeBlanc mused, always were the masters of manipulating words. A Demon’s words are its bond, but words are known to be unreliable, full of loopholes ready to be twisted to one’s desire. And the Demons do this very well, taking advantage of their own words to gain what they want, even though they’d not call it exploitation. Fairness is the word they used.

“Are you afraid of the Seventh, then?”

“You’re underestimating me, Emilia. I do not have to fear the Seventh.” Beatrice was decisively displeased now. She seemed to glower “he will never make it to Noxus.”

“Like the last time?” asked LeBlanc, smiling mockingly. It always felt good to unnerve your opponent.

Beatrice smiled back mirthlessly.

“I didn’t expect him to resort to such means,” she replied quietly “that did not mean I couldn’t have deflected such an invasion. But that would mean I had to show myself. Noxus will know that its leader made a pact with a Demon. I cannot have that. The Noxians do not value the strength I could bring.”

“Then good thing the Eye was there to do the job for you,” said LeBlanc “without any idea he was defending a Demon’s empire.”

The Demon’s smile now held an arrogant edge.

“Humans, they are so full of themselves: their reception is flawed, their clarity lacking, and yet they think they can judge the world around them. How pathetic,”

LeBlanc remembered the court session where the mysterious Eye of Twilight had appeared out of nowhere. Silently and steadily, he seemed to be fighting something invisible to the naked eye. LeBlanc could see what he was fighting – onslaughts after onslaughts of demonic spirits, attempting to cross the border that protected Noxus. She knew that Swain and Beatrice could see this as well. If she had any empathy, she would say that was quite a scene to behold: a single mortal restlessly facing against a whole parallel world, unknown to most others, by himself. But she had none. So, the witch only held a small smile during the whole event, as she watched the Eye flashing in and out of one realm into the other. Indeed it was pathetic. The enforcer of Equilibrium barely had any idea how Equilibrium actually worked.

“Nevertheless, he did help me then. I repaid him in kind. My debt is due.”

“Then will you help me, Beatrice?”

The Demon of Vanity grinned wickedly.

“If you so insist, my old friend,” she said sweetly “you’re about to do something you ridiculed Ionians for doing so.”

“I’m surprised that you hold Khada Jhin with such high acclaim. He’s but a human. You may not understand how humans work, but I do.”

“I understand that human is a chaotic species. Do not delude yourself you can see their patterns,” said Beatrice “very well. I will do as you wish.”

Beatrice’s eyes began to glow red. She was no longer staring at the inside of LeBlanc’s office. She was seeing through the eye of every raven and every crow across Runeterra. Her eyes registered everything her faithful servants brought.

All the Ravens in Runeterra answer to the Demon of Vanity.

That Demon smiled. She’d found her mark – a little bird had told her. From her hand, a small black bird manifested. Beatrice closed her eyes and it vanished.

“I’ve done my part,” she stated, her eyes returning to its usual gold “we shall see if your judgement holds, Emilia.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re indebted to a Demon now. Do not forget your stance.”

“I will do anything for the glory of Noxus. So will you.”

Beatrice nodded. Without a second word, she morphed back into a Raven and disappeared.

LeBlanc smiled to herself as she poured a cup of tea. Boram Darkwill was a fool. To destroy a nation, you must break it from the inside first, not the other way round. Instead of fighting an all-out war like the fool had, she’d make Ionia collapse onto itself. It would be especially easy for Ionia – the land had been stemming conflicts for millennia. How could there have been no one before her who made use of it?

Well, better late than never.

This would be Noxus’s true retribution to Ionia. And revenge is always best served cold.

* * *

 

The Shadow bade his time. He was never known for his patience, but at times it was a compulsory virtue. A little patience would get you far, especially when you wanted to sneak up on the proxy leader of Noxus.

Beatrice should be here soon.

He was leaning on the outer wall of Ivory Ward, taking in the view of the city trailing under his gaze. From there, he could somewhat understand how this nation appealed to Beatrice. This nation was brutal – the Shadow could feel its traces on every street, every corner, every house (imagine if this was Ionia – the Seventh would have a feast), and it didn’t bother hiding it. The strong deserved to rule. They were brutal and they accepted this as the absolute truth. The only hindsight was that their definition of strength remained so narrow-minded…

Perhaps that was why Beatrice could rule over them.

A slight shift in the atmosphere occurred - so brief that had he not been expecting it, he’d not have noticed at all. He removed himself from the wall stained with the blood of countless and unleashed a small wave of demonic power.

“Hello, Beatrice.”

Immediately his power surge was forcefully depleted. Hmm, Beatrice seemed abnormally rash today. She emerged from the shadows, making the beeline for the offender before realizing who it was. She abruptly turned away and landed onto the perch of the wall, which the Shadow was now facing.

The raven that was Beatrice scrutinized him for a few seconds with her six glowing eyes before ultimately switching to her humanoid guise.

“Fifth,” she stated “refrain from showing off your powers on _my_ territory.”

The Shadow smirked – typical.

“What, sister, you’re not happy to see me?”

Beatrice’s lips curved into a smile.

“Has anyone ever been happy to see you?”

“Brutal,” the Shadow smirked. He glanced around appreciatively “you’ve found yourself a nice place, and a nice host. How are things holding up?”

“Jericho Swain is simply a being I made a pact with,” said Beatrice “it is not wise to be attached to a host, Fifth.”

“Did you really have to spoil the fun so soon, Beat?” asked the Shadow.

Unlike the Shadow, it was not in Beatrice’s nature to try consuming her host. She cooperated with them, in order to gain more power and influence – which was her main sustenance to survive.

Beatrice snorted.

“To be honest, I expected you to come sooner. You let me wait five years, brother. Is your current host such a noteworthy individual?”

“You’d be surprised.” The Shadow grinned back “long story, really, and I came to ask after you. I should have done so long ago, but you were almost impossible to reach. Being leader of Noxus must come with lots of space.”

“That certainly did not stop you,” replied Beatrice “the Grand General is Jericho Swain. I do not directly affect his decisions.”

“Speaking of which, did something happen?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re oddly agitated today, so much so that you failed to notice my entrance. I actually thought tracking you would be a little more of a challenge.”

Beatrice’s eyes narrowed.

“It was a favor for an old friend,” she answered calmly “a move I’m not entirely comfortable with. But it must be done.”

“Oh?”

“The person is named ‘Emilia LeBlanc’. She’s the leader of a Noxian mage society.”

“Was she the person who sent the Hemomancer?”

“She sent the Hemomancer?” asked Beatrice in bewilderment.

“Not very proper management, Beat – I expected better.”

“I do not control the Black Rose. LeBlanc is free to do as she wishes.”

The Shadow raised an eyebrow.

“Oh wow, you are serious. I’m surprised there are still things beyond your control.”

“Of course there are,” said Beatrice, her voice slightly dropping “things that I do not want to associate with.”

Her brother titled his head.

“I heard of the invasion from Ai.”

“Is that so?”

“Things have been quite hectic, haven’t they? Considering the situation, you should have been happier to see me.”

“He’s certainly grown stronger, stronger than you can contest now,” she said. Her gaze now held an edge of contempt. “I didn’t think you’d be so pathetic, Fifth, as to get caught in such a fashion.”

The Shadow’s smirk widened. Beatrice was not Ai. Ai was allowed to say the truth (yes, it was a pathetic mistake, got it). Beatrice would not receive the same treatment. After all, she was an irritable person.

“Big words, Beatrice, for a Demon indebted to the Eye,”

“My debt to the Eye is due, Shadow.”

“If so, mine is too. I’ve offered him power, as I’ve promised.”

“And what is the reason for you to leave him now?”

“I don’t know, to come and annoy you, mostly?”

Beatrice burst out laughing.

“Ah, indeed I’ve missed you, brother,” she said, shaking her head a little “trading insults with you has always been fun. At least I can hold a conversation with you. Shaco would only slack off at the soonest opportunity.”

“Shaco is within Noxus?”

“He comes, and goes.”

“How do you not have problems with that?”

“We did, actually.” She almost sighed “I had to confront him several times. The damned jester wouldn’t even take it quietly. Reasons couldn’t get through that thick skull of his.”

“It’s Shaco. If he irritates you, he’s done his job.”

“He’s not here now. I don’t expect you’d like to see him.”

“Nope, I’m not there yet. People don’t want to see Shaco; Shaco wants to see people.”

“Indeed,” Beatrice agreed “I don’t want to recycle insults, Shadow, but it is still pathetic. That was two hundred years of the most powerful possessive Demon, spent inside a box…”

“Does that mean you recognize I’m the stronger one?”

Beatrice only gave him a glare.

“I thought you had something to do with that little fact.”

She frowned.

“Why would I want to antagonize you?” she asked incredulously “you know I’m never willing to disturb Ionia. The stakes are too high.”

The Shadow studied her carefully.

“You know nothing about it, then.” He concluded “I was mistaken, and I apologize, Beatrice.”

“How did you get this idea?”

The Shadow smirked.

“Do you really think mere Ionians could have gained the power to capture me themselves? Granted, magic in Ionia is abundant. That does not mean they could’ve harnessed that power so effectively against me. They had help, Beatrice. Since Noxus attacked Ionia only recently, I wonder if you lent a hand. You apparently did not, and I apologized.”

Beatrice’s eyes widened. She’d not thought of it before.

“Boram Darkwill has been done away with. I will never antagonize Ionia. If left alone, Ionia can take care of itself. Only LeBlanc thought…”

She paused, abruptly. Her sibling Demon didn’t fail to notice this.

“What is it, Beatrice?”

“That’s… impossible.”

“What is? Oh,” said the Shadow, realizing what his sibling had meant. So this LeBlanc woman was quite something to be wary of, huh? He half wanted to chide Beatrice on her revelation, but decided against it. He alone had enough experience in the field of underestimating people. It happens. Thus, deceiving Beatrice was no easy task – humans sure are an incredible creature.

“I will ask her.” Beatrice announced coldly. She was really pissed off.

Her tone lightened a little as she addressed him again.

“It seems LeBlanc never heeds my warnings. Fifth, what do you plan to do now?”

The Shadow shrugged.

“Humans reap what they sow, Beatrice. As you’ve said, I can’t contest toe to toe against him anymore.”

“That certainly won’t stop you, the bully you are.” Beatrice sighed “I can’t believe one day I have to rely on you, of all people, for anything.”

“You hurt me, sister,” said the Shadow “I am the world’s most annoying Demon, and I plan to uphold that little moniker. Locking me up in a while isn’t gonna change that. Hopefully our baby brother remembers.”

“Glad to hear you’ve got the spirit, Fifth.”

“Don’t expect too much, though. You must have known how strong he’d got, and I don’t have a possessed body.”

Beatrice regarded him with a curious gaze.

“And apparently it is wise to leave your host to his own devices now?”

“Such is life. Some things you can’t control.”

A light smirk appeared on her face.

“Do introduce me to him sometimes. Zed, isn’t it?” said the Demon “I’d like to see what kind of person could have gotten my baby brother so smitten, as to gain his full loyalty.”

“Yeah, believe whatever you want, Beat.” The Shadow retorted exasperatedly. He’d heard this from more than enough people already - correcting them would only be a waste of time. Yet for a brief moment he wondered if he was truly not inclined to betray Zed and take over him. “If you are capable of spending a little of your precious time gracing Ionia with your presence, I will sure leave him a note.”

Beatrice looked down in contempt.

“Very well. Do keep your word.”

“It was nice talking to you, Beatrice. But I’ve got to run. Gotta catch up on things if I wanna meddle with your little brother’s affair.”

“Go. I will have the answer when I contact you.”

“Counting on you, Beat. Bye.”

Beatrice watched the Shadow melt into the night and disappeared. She turned an indignant stare towards LeBlanc’s location – which, against all common sense, was located inside Ivory Ward. The Deceiver had outplayed her. She had been outplayed.

A grin settled on the Demon’s face.

“If that is what you want, Emilia, go ahead. Let us see how the End shall unveil.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beatrice possesses a raven. Her human form is only an illusion, created so that she could interact with other human/humanoid being with ease. Her real form is the bird.


	17. Ionia: Kennen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because Kennen deserves more spotlight out of the Triumvirate. Seriously, he’s being written out of every story.  
> You know there are those stories when you’ve written a few thousand words about practically nothing of import at all. Yeah, that’s my type of stories. And yeah, this is one of the worst offenders. You've been warned.

Vladimir must have been right in his statement that it was easier to talk to people you didn’t know.

In his various encounters with the yordle ninja named Kennen, (also known as the freaking Heart of the Tempest) he’d had many chances to testify this statement. He concluded that the being with hundreds of powerful mages, from olden to ancient, residing inside his head would be pretty darn right most of the time. Kennen and he had… talked, mostly, if not fighting, and he’d learned a number of things from him that he probably didn’t need (for example, how the yordle had a knack for azuki beans, and that he was into TMNT thanks to the not-so-coincidental naming), and definitely didn’t deserve to know (like the appropriate location of activities of the Kinkou).

One good thing did come out of meeting Kennen (and all the guilty feelings it accompanied), and it was that Zed got a good opponent to duel with. Of course, he could not apply the arts of the Shadows, but a change was always refreshing. The Shadow was also running around working on his own agenda, and Zed didn’t really want to deal with the Demon’s temper at the moment – he had his own issues and all-over-the-place plans already. He decided that if he were to work undercover for a while, he’d need to polish his various non-shadowy skills, and the arts of the Heart were always the most appealing art from the Kinkou to him: they were easily applicable and pretty effective in most cases (yes, zapping people with lightning is as straightforward as it gets). Thus, Kennen was a valuable opponent, not just because of his skills as the Heart (which Zed admitted was totally worthy), but the fact that he could be comfortable fighting the yordle as well. With Kennen, he didn’t have to uphold his image and authority as the Master of Shadows; he could afford, more or less, to be more lax and more himself… normal.

Kennen was powerful, no doubt, but he was rather young (yordle age was actually more complicated, as he was led to believe, but he kinda glossed over it), thus quite inexperienced compared to himself. It was not a bad thing, because the yordle was still growing, getting stronger and more skillful with every encounter, and it somewhat pleased him to see someone change, mature for the better, especially when he fancied himself involved in such an incredible process.

(Kusho always said he’d make a good teacher.)

He could definitely use a break from all his vain efforts in determining the Golden Demon’s whereabouts once in a while.

“We should stop here,” said Zed. He’d always be the one to adjourn a fight, because let’s face it, Kennen’s energy capabilities exceeded his.

“Getting tired so easily?” Kennen teased.

Zed smirked back.

“If I really wanted to beat a Heart, I wouldn’t play his game.”

Kennen raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

“You _can_ use other abilities aside from lightning powers?”

“Just saying,” said Zed quickly. As a matter of fact, yes, he did have other arts up his sleeve to be used on cases of emergency. “It’s an advice, really. As a lightning master, you don’t expect people to play you straight up.”

“I know,” said Kennen “but really, though, you’ve mastered other forms of ninja techniques as well?”

“I said, I’ve never _mastered_ anything. I pick up this and that from different styles and throw them all together,” adding a touch of shadow techniques, also “and boom. I have my own fighting style.”

“Yeah, I can see you’re pretty unpredictable, but darn, you’re a freaking beast, you know that?”

His heart panged at the statement, even though that was not what Kennen really meant.

“I’m not. I’m a terrible ninja, if a case can be made that I am. I just know a lot of tricks.”

“Shredder, we’ve met about four times already. You can stop pulling that crap on me.”

“Hey, I’m telling you the truth. You’re just not choosing to believe me.”

“Right,” said Kennen in a doubtful tone “make it more believable. I may buy it then.”

Zed shrugged. In his eyes, he was really no master. He was only good at knowing the right stuff to be used at the right time. And even that had also been slipping from time to time.

He reached over his bag. As it’d become customary, he would always bring some light snacks whenever he met Kennen. The yordle really appreciated this gesture (man, the Kinkou Order’s food is as lame as usual, huh?), which, even if he’d deny this, encouraged Zed to cook again. It was certainly a fun process; he’d missed cooking, and had always enjoyed people enjoying his cooking, after all.

He took out a taiyaki and handed it to Kennen.

“Azuki,” he remarked “as per request.”

“Thanks,” said Kennen, eagerly biting into the fish-shaped pastry “using lightning powers is hungry!”

“That’s something I can relate to,” said Zed, eating his own taiyaki. The enchantment he applied on the box kept the pastry warm.

“By the way, why did you learn to cook?”

It was a random question, so he answered casually.

“My… caretakers weren’t the best of cooks, so I have to take that into my own hand. It’s a necessary skill to survive.”

“Is it that bad?”

“How can you survive without good food?”

“Guess how I’ve been living.” Kennen mumbled.

Zed laughed, handing the yordle another pastry.

“Really, I envy your family. They have such a good cook making their food 24/7!”

Zed grinned again, with a hint of sadness this time. Luckily Kennen was too busy eating to notice.

“Speaking of family, I know I’m in no position to ask… but why are you working for Ionia?”

Kennen stayed quiet. Then, after having considered his reply, he began.

“I was born in Bandle City, in a pretty regular family, that is, except for my tendency to shock lightning every once in a while. I actually know many of the Bandle City’s citizens. I lived there until my powers, you can say, gradually caused more trouble to contain. And so I embarked on my own journey to try studying how to do that.”

“Wait, you went on a journey on your own?”

“It’s allowed in Bandle, that a yordle may pursue one’s path. Why do you think there are so many yordles in Piltover and Zaun? Anyway, I’ve wandered around some years, travelling across city-states until I reached Ionia. There, the Eye was the first to receive me. He, politely, stated that if I wished, I’d be taught how to harness my powers into something useful. And I said yes.”

Zed blinked. That was… a straightforward story. Kennen didn’t seem troubled from his past, though Zed doubted the journey was anything but easy. The Kennen before him was quite a seasoned warrior.

“I know, it’s probably not dramatic, or traumatic,” said Kennen “and you?”

Ah…

He shrugged.

“Nothing’s in the public domain?”

“I said I was in no position to ask.”

“Well, you can always ask. And I can always choose to answer. There’s no such thing as ‘be in position to’. If you don’t want to tell me, it’s fine.”

Zed considered his options. The time was not right. The time would never be right.

“On other topics,” Kennen continued “what do you often do in your free time?”

“Studying on the arts of the ninja, mostly,” said Zed with a smirk.

“Then what do you do when you _do not_ have free time?”

“I’m currently unemployed,” or, status quo “on vacation” “I like reading, hiking, cooking, playing board games and practicing new weapons,” he answered casually “mostly I just read. I can draw, too, but my drawings aren’t, uhm, artistic.”

“Do elaborate?”

“The paintings? Well, I remember details so vividly that it leaves little room for creative liberties. My drawings are very realistic, but they’re just real life slapped on paper, nothing else.”

“You have a sort of… eidetic memory?”

“Yeah, photographic, I’d say. It’s not perfect, as far as I can tell, but I memorize visual cues effortlessly.”

“Jeez, no wonder you sound like a know-it-all. You _are_ a know-it-all.”

“Respectful objection, I don’t know anything. For example, some months ago I never knew the camera existed.”

“…what’s a camera?”

Zed almost sighed. He held it back though, since he was once the same, and gave a simple description on the camera and how it worked.

“Wow, that’s… magic,” said Kennen, unable to contain his awe “how do I get one?”

“You’d need to travel to this city-state called “Piltover”, or “Zaun”. There, you can find this machine on sale. And no, I’ve never been there. Maybe you have?”

“No, I’ve been mostly around Demacia, Noxus and Ionia.”

“Well, if you do consider fetching one, a decent some of money is to be paid. Hextech is becoming more popular, but it still isn’t cheap.”

“Oh,” said the yordle, sounding a bit let down “never mind, then.”

Being a Kinkou ninja was not exactly well paid (being ninja in general), he could confirm this.

“If I can afford to obtain one of those things,” he said “I will certainly show you. That is, if I can.”

Kennen looked more ecstatic about this than he thought. Did he really like the camera that much?

“So future sessions are guaranteed, huh?”

Oh.

“As if I can avoid it at this point.” Zed murmured. He had begun to grow fond of Kennen. As long as his true identity remained a secret, their… whatever this was would remain. He’d found himself more and more compelled to these sessions with the small ninja. “Was my company that appealing to you?”

Such a thing was not to last. He had no doubt what Kennen would do, had he learned of the truth. Maybe that was the better way.

Kennen burst out laughing.

“Appealing? Please, use simpler words. You’re not talking to a business partner,” he said, calming down a little. The yordle’s blue eyes stared into his as he spoke “yes, I like your company. You should have figured that out by now.”

A pang of guilt hit him again, his conscience screaming against deceiving Kennen further. _You are not worthy of his concern. Don’t lie to the poor guy, don’t give him hope. Don’t feign his attachment. You will hurt him. You know that._

“There it was, the infamous ‘You shouldn’t have done that ‘cause I do not deserve it’ look,” Kennen spoke up, interrupting his thoughts. He sounded exasperated “seriously, quit the negative self-loathing. We both know that you’re not lying, you’re just not telling me, and that you were sorry for what you did, whatever it was. I think, frankly, you’re a nice guy, and…”

“That’s not… I’m not, it’s not… the whole picture. If only…”

Kennen was clearly upset because of his ‘self-loathing’. Zed swore inwardly at the irony: the yordle felt concerned for him, who was supposed to be his enemy. How shameless could he still be, before revealing the truth?

If he did it as soon as possible, Kennen would not feel hurt, or betrayed.

But… what would he feel?

“Well, if only you’d enlighten me about this _whole picture_ , we can finally get on the same page.”

_Cut it now. Don’t let the connection grow. You deserve to be attached to no one._

He stood up, abruptly turning away. He had to leave.

Kennen’s voice spoke up behind him.

“I won’t feign I understand you and what you’ve been through. You’re not a terrible person you’ve made yourself out to be, however. You’re not evil, Shredder.”

The yordle paused. Zed did not dare to speak.

“And,” Kennen continued “I am willing to help you, if only you’d allow me to do it, if only you’d trust me. But I know that is not easy. That is why our relationship is where it currently is. Just consider it, Shredder. You’re not beyond forgiveness.”

“I am,” said Zed quietly and wearily “I won’t even forgive myself. I can’t forgive myself.”

He turned around and sat down in front of Kennen again.

“I do like your company, Kennen,” he said honestly “you’re an amazing ninja and person… Thank you, for being kind to me.”

“You’re welcome.”

* * *

 

“What kind of techniques are you also proficient at?”

Zed sighed.

“I told you, I am not _proficient_ at anything.”

“Tell that to 90% of the current Kinkou after demonstrating what you can do to them. I don’t care how you define words - just tell me what you actually know.”

“If it’s just ‘knowing’, the answer would be all of them.”

“All of them, as in, _everything_?”

“As in, the Heart, the Fist and the Eye – I understand the principles of each art. I, of course, do not master any of them. I am only capable in each to a certain extent. For example…”

Zed channeled his ki and made a move. Kennen could hardly register his movement before a blade was at his throat.

“… That would be Death’s Dance, combat style of the Fist.” He finished, drawing his blade back.

“Death’s Dance is a high-class technique, you know.”

“Mine is not yet in its finest form,” said Zed. He remembered how he was in awe, seeing the then Fist of Shadow performing a Death’s Dance for the first time. The speed, the elegance, the power: it was as if Death itself had manifested, dancing “the thing is, I found that applying only one technique can be pretty predictable. And so I used my free time to, you know, learn other stuffs.”

“No, seriously, I could not read that movement of yours.”

“Your guard was down. It was hardly surprising.”

“You could’ve been faster than Akali!”

“I’m pretty sure that’s not the case,” said Zed fairly. He hoped that Shen did not employ a Fist whose Death’s Dance did not exceed his. He really hoped not.

It was not really his place to judge Shen’s recruitment policy, anyhow.

“Wow, your existence is less and less explainable every minute.”

“One acquaintance of mine once advised me to stop trying to give reason to everything in life. That would work pretty well in your case.”

“You do have other confidants as well?”

“Yeah, he was an incomprehensible fellow, if you ask me.”

“More than you?” asked Kennen “is he a friend?”

“Nope, he was… my business partner,” Zed grinned.

Kennen snorted.

“I can see how you adopted such diplomatic language when talking to people.”

Zed nodded, drinking from his teacup. He made daifuku mochi this time.

“Do you think it’s really better to know other techniques as well?” asked the yordle.

“It’s a personal preference. To be fair, though, if you’re the best at your field, learning the use of other arts isn’t necessary.”

“Can you… teach me?”

Zed laughed out loud.

“Really, Kennen? Aren’t, I don’t know, the Eye or the Fist more suitable to hear this question?”

 “They’re all busy doing their own thing. Besides, they’d probably say what you said about mastering your own field.”

“They will be reasonably correct. You’re powerful enough as you are. It’s better to capitalize on it.”

“But that worked out well with you. I can’t defeat you.”

“I am sort of a… freak, if you would. I do have a different, uhm, memory input, so things come naturally to me. It’s a messy combination of reasons to explain my current fighting style. You’re doing fine, Kennen. You should believe in yourself more.”

 _Touché advice, Zed,_ his inner voice chided.

He genuinely meant than, towards Kennen only.

“Start talking.” Kennen said, after a moment of debate.

Zed did not need to be told a second time.

“Alright, stop me when it’s too hard to understand,” he smirked. Kennen squatted him on the head softly “let’s begin with the Fist. The fighting style was developed exclusively for being abrupt, stealthy; each dash is meant to kill and do nothing less efficient…”

* * *

 

And just like that, he became Kennen’s consultant on ninja arts. Apparently his jack-of-all-trades principle found home within Kennen as well. After two sessions the yordle was able to dash a short distance with Death’s Dance and summon a decent ki barrier. The more important thing was that he was able to notice and defend against these strategies – Zed could integrate other moves into their duels and Kennen didn’t have a hard time keeping up. Being proactive in one’s approach was the first principle in countering a ninja.

He was moving on to the making and application of smoke bombs that day. The smoke bomb had been a fascinating aspect of the arts of the Fist, mainly because it let him play with chemical substances. It was, in fact, the only widely used application of chemistry in ninjutsu, and he prided himself in his understanding of these bombs, after having smoked the entire kitchen no less than five times. He’d always been a curious, do-it-yourself child.

“Though the basic compounds remain the same, ninjas who use smoke bombs will often add different elements into the mixture. These chemicals, though in little amount, make the difference in each bomb’s clouding ability. Therefore, if you can read what chemical is in the compound, you can read its user’s movement in it as well.”

Kennen, however, didn’t share his enthusiasm on smoke bomb’s chemistry.

“Dude, the basic compounds are difficult enough,” he complained “how can you even read anyone’s movement in that thing?”

“Uhm, how do you say it? Each compound has a specific pattern, if you will. Understanding these patterns will help you spot out the person standing in the mist. The easier exercise would be to spot their position while they’re moving.”

“And you said each bomb is personalized by the user?”

“Usually, yes.”

“Then how the heck can you read it?”

“There are a number of recognizable patterns. The fastest way to learn is to try making several smoke bombs yourself, and detonate them to study each pattern. At least, that’s how I learned.”

“It’s always easier when you remember everything.”

Zed shrugged. It was not actually wrong.

“It’s not that difficult. There are twenty basic patterns to remember, and each variant has about fifty minor details…”

…

“I’m out!”

“It’s not _that_ difficult!”

“For _you,”_ Kennen shot back “I’ll just shock everyone coming into my vicinity.”

“It’s an infinitely less time-consuming option,” said Zed with a smirk “if I were anywhere as powerful as you are, I would have ditched that study long ago.”

“You _are._ ”

“No, I am as _skillful_ as you are. There’s a difference.”

Kennen shot him a glare again, but he reluctantly agreed. As stated previously, Kennen’s energy capability exceeded his.

“Anyway, that strategy is great, but every energy-consuming. Besides, it’s always better when you know exactly where to shock. There’s still a small risk that your opponent can navigate your maelstrom. If he can do that, you’re toast.”

The yordle ninja’s mood seemed to have dampened.

“Akali did it once,” he said “during a training session. From there on, I just clear out of the area as fast as possible.”

“Well, to be fair, your power ball works, so smoke bomb awareness isn’t a concern. You’re on the top of the ladder as well, not everyone can just navigate your maelstrom. Our session can stop here.”

He could see that the yordle seemed more worn out lately, and decided that a break would come in handy. Being a Kinkou ninja must have been pretty tiring.

“Can’t you do what I do as well?”

“Technically, I can, but I can’t sustain that form so long. My body mass is too big and my energy reserve so limited – it’s mostly the former, that I cannot keep ball form for more than a second max. That is why when I do it, I seem to flash through air to a different location.”

“That’s what you did when we first fought, right?”

“Yeah, that’s how I can move like that.”

“I can do something you can’t? How could this be?”

“Very funny,” said Zed flatly “I am not omnipotent, Kennen. You’re making me sound more powerful than I actually am.”

“Fine then, you’re more _skillful_ than I am, happy?”

“Ouch,” Zed grinned impishly. Kennen sure knew how to throw one’s words back at him “seeing that we did not do anything physical, I’d assume you’d not want snacks.”

“Since when did I say that?”

“Got it,” said Zed, bringing out a box “you know, my brother once said that doing nothing and eating isn’t a good idea.”

Kennen didn’t miss the chance.

“You have a brother?”

“Yeah, at the moment he was eating with me too, so it was kind of a hypocritical statement. We were skipping school because it was freaking freezing outside…”

In Kennen’s perspective, Shredder having a _brother_ was literally the most _shocking_ thing he learned recently, including the fact that the guy knew hundreds of smoke bomb compounds and could see through any. He was pretty sure Shredder must have been an only son or even an orphan at that point.

As if realizing what he’d just said, the human ninja shut up abruptly, his face practically a blank state. Kennen had no doubt the man was reprimanding himself, for letting his guard down.

So apparently this ‘brother’ was a sensitive subject, huh?

“He’s not… my real brother, not my blood,” Zed explained “I’m currently not with him.”

Thankfully, and surprisingly, Kennen did not press on.

“Anyway, I believe these are called muffins,” said Zed “they’re not a traditional Ionian dish – made by baking a mixture of flour, butter, sugar, eggs and sodium bicarbonate...”

“Ahem, English!”

“Baking powder,” Zed adhered “for this particular batch I added some pecans and a caramel glaze.”

Kennen received his quite enormous muffin.

“You’re also a baker?”

“I have a lot of time.” Zed said. Befriending Lulu really helped him learn how to bake several types of pastries.

“Jeez, the number of geniuses one can encounter,” Kennen mumbled.

Zed broke off a piece from his muffin and ate it. It tasted slightly bitter in his mouth – he couldn’t have burnt the caramel glaze, could he?

He told someone about Shen.

(Though technically he didn’t mention him.)

The next thing the yordle said threw him completely off-guard.

“You said you have a lot of time?”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“What do you think about joining our Order?”

He didn’t even bother hiding his shock.

“Why would you be interested?” was the decided response.

“I thought the question should be ‘Why should I be interested?’” said Kennen “Do I seriously have to answer that?”

“Yes.”

“Really? You’re a fine warrior and are freaking talented at what you do. And we’re lacking manpower. If you’d like to apply your talent, the position is open.”

No.

He didn’t want Balance. They never did agree with him.

Balance is weakness. Their Balance was what caused Ionia the war.

And yet, what good had he done?

“I guess that look means no.”

“Our points of view do not align. I don’t believe in Balance, Kennen. If such thing does exist, it is not something anyone gets to decide,” said Zed “don’t worry. I’m sure there will be far more promising candidates than me out there.”

“You’re kidding me, right? I really don’t think I can meet anyone better than you, if my estimations are even half-right.”

“Then they are half-wrong,” Zed teased “tone it down, please. Don’t exaggerate.”

Kennen laughed.

“I respect your choice. Just, again, know that the offer stands.”

For now.

He smirked mirthlessly.

Returning was not an option. He’d fell too far.

“Hard work these days?” he asked.

“Yeah, the spirit world is becoming more and more rampant. Demon sightings have been occurring all over the place. The people… they don’t feel safe anymore.”

Had they ever?

“It’s not exactly your job to hunt down spirits, is it?”

“No. But the whole order is affected. It seems like the Seven Demon Clan is gearing up for something big.”

That caught Zed’s attention. From what he’d learned, thanks to the Shadow, the Seven Demons of the Spirit world would never, ever work together. Then again, the Shadow had been busy attending to his own plans. Perhaps he was preparing as well, or, if not, attempting to clarify this rumor, if it was misplaced.

Either way, the Demons were not his concern at the moment. He did not want to go over _that_ part of his heritage just yet – as if the current one wasn’t enough.

He regarded Kennen again, wondering how long this little solace, like all others, would last.

* * *

 

“Guess what, little guy?” said Zed “I’ve successfully acquired a camera.”

Kennen’s eyes shone in delight.

“Wow, that’s rad!” he exclaimed “wait, did you buy this?”

“Of course, what else did I do? Steal it?”

“You’re wealthy, too?”

“This is second-hand, so it’s relatively cheaper. And I’m not exactly starving, you can tell.”

He removed the machine from his bag and gave it to Kennen. The latter inspected it carefully, rotating it in his hands.

“So… how does this work again?”

Zed began, patiently, explaining what one would need to do to “take a photograph”.

“You insert the film here, yes, it’s embedded with hextech. Then you look through this small opening, and after aiming your shot, you press this button.”

“You’re welcome to demonstrate.”

Zed brought the camera up to his eyes and looked through the preview window (what is that called again?). After making sure the camera was held still, he pressed the button.

There was a flash, a light snap, and a second later a picture was dished out from the machine, to Kennen’s awe. Zed took the photo out and shook it for a few times.

“They told me you do this to activate the ink quicker,” he explained “there you go.”

He handed Kennen the photo of himself – a yordle ninja clad in purple. The yordle inspected it in astonishment.

“No way, this looks so real! How is it possible?”

“Apparently it is the technique of using hextech to capture light,” said Zed “according to the ‘scientists’, what we see is only light reflected off objects. If you can record that light, you can record images. Well, wanna try?”

Kennen eagerly took hold of the machine.

“If your hands shake, the picture isn’t gonna come out nicely,” Zed instructed.

“Got it,” said the yordle “you press this button?”

“Uh… hey, don’t take a picture of me!”

Too late.

The camera snapped.

“Charming,” Kennen smirked, obviously enjoying himself. After shaking the photo a few times, he showed it to Zed – a picture of him in the middle of getting worked up.

Zed smiled in defeat. He should have thought twice about purchasing this machine. Certainly it would make a good tool for making fun of people.

“I’ve got to save up, too. This is too fun to pass by,” said Kennen “I can blackmail a ton of people with this.”

“I immediately regret this decision. That was fast,” Zed complimented “next time though, don’t take a picture of my ugly face.”

“ _Your_ ugly face?”

Zed nodded.

“You think you’re ugly?”

“Well, I’m certainly not handsome.”

Kennen laughed. He was pretty sure in human standards, Shredder was pretty handsome: messy hair, slightly pale complexion, and even though his face seemed worn out with burdens unknown to the yordle, there was still a hint of liveliness in his eyes. And sometimes, those golden eyes would reflect an unpronounced sadness.

His eyes stopped at the scar.

“Because of the scar?”

Zed subconsciously reached up his face.

“Maybe… you actually think I’m handsome?”

“Well, objectively speaking, yes. You really have some inferiority issues, don’t you?”

“I’m glad I’m not ugly to your eyes, then.”

The yordle grinned.

“So… this machine… can it run out of pictures it can take?”

“Yeah, it can. I think you can take eight more before I have to change the film.” And the film wasn’t exactly cheap either “this is called a ‘Polaroid camera’, which prints the photo instantly. It is more convenient than the other traditional method, which involves printing the photo in a ‘dark room’.”

“Why would you not want to print the photo instantly?”

“The classic method produces more durable and arguably better pictures. Thus, you can choose what to print and what not to, unlike this camera where you have to print out every photo you take. The ‘dark room’ necessary to use this method is actually quite costly, so…”

“Got it; quit the nerd-babbling.” Kennen said “can I play with it a bit more?”

“Sure, this is for you, after all.”

So they spent the rest of that afternoon taking walks around the outskirts of Zhyun, chatting comfortably on various subjects, with Kennen occasionally stopping to take a shot. The yordle got used to the machine surprisingly quick, and at the end of the journey, when dusk was setting on the horizon, he’d taken seven pictures of the mountains, plains, flowers and fauna he’d walked by. They were quite exquisite and beautiful shots, in Zed’s opinion. Kennen would make a great photographer.

Kennen seemed to be happy, too. He was looking at the photos he’d taken.

“It’s amazing,” he said “how the world seems so beautiful through the lens. This invention is amazing. Even if time passes on, the moments can still be here.”

Zed subconsciously smiled, remembering what the old shopkeeper had said about the invention of photography.

“Photography is the greatest achievement of mankind, for men had found a way to become immortal.”

Immortal, indeed.

“There’s one film left,” said Zed “save it for the dusk. The view is splendid.”

They were standing on the edge of a cliff, and could take in a full view of the sunset. The whole world seemed to glow a warm shade of orange.

“Is there… anyway to take a picture of both of us?”

“Why?”

“I just want to. It’s proof that we’ve met. Isn’t that the reason why this… camera was invented? To record memories.”

“I’ve been told. But are you sure you want to miss this shot? It’s beautiful.”

“I’m sure. This is not the last dusk in the world. But this is the last chance I may get to have a memory with you.”

Somehow, Zed was having difficulty breathing.

When he could speak, the reply came out softly.

“Okay.”

 He took the camera from Kennen’s hand and turned it around, so that the lens was facing his way. He signaled Kennen to come close, and after having done a small calculation, readjusted the angle before taking the shot.

The camera snapped, producing the picture of the two, smiling softly, bathed in the orange glow of twilight (Haha).

Zed looked down the valley again, watching the sun slowly descending below the horizon.

His mind was at peace.

* * *

 

Kennen and Zed parted ways as night was beginning to fall.

The yordle ninja happily made his way back to the Kinkou hideout, holding the pictures in his hand. It’d been a peaceful, quiet afternoon spent with his not-yet-friend-but-no-longer-stranger. These meetings had helped Kennen a lot in dealing with his stress (Shredder was a pretty funny guy) being the Heart of the Tempest. Kennen had considered him a valuable companion, a sentiment Shredder undoubtedly shared, even if the jerk would go out of his way to deny it. It was in his character, after all.

Good thing was that, he’d got photographic evidence! Akali and Shen could stop blaming him for running off to meet an imaginary friend. After all, imaginary characters do not own cameras that churn out real pictures.

He checked the heap of photos again and only then noticed that some (two, to be exact) were missing. His smile dropped as he read the note attached within.

_Kennen,_

_Sorry, can’t let you keep those two photos because:_

_(a) That’ll be really embarrassing._

_(b) I’ll be in big trouble._

_Don’t worry, I’ll keep the “memory” we had safe. When you find out about the truth, these photos will be returned to you, so you may do what you see fit with our memory._

_Until then, have a good day! Give yourself a break some time, you’re overworking._

_Your not-exactly-friend-but-not-really-stranger-either,_

_Shredder._

Kennen couldn’t quite place what emotions he was feeling as he finished the note. At last, he groaned.

Damn Shredder.

* * *

 

Zed grinned. It’d been a while since he last pulled a theft. Its success proved he did not quite lose his stealthy edge yet.

He looked at the two pictures taken from Kennen fondly. He’d intended to burn the one with him flustered, but couldn’t bring himself to get rid of it. He laughed quietly. Was he getting timid?

He had photographic memory. He didn’t need photographs to remember. And if Kennen found out the truth, he wouldn’t want to, either.

And yet…

Zed sighed, putting the pictures away. One day, he’d have to return them to Kennen. He knew it.

That day wouldn’t come anytime soon, though.

He wondered what Kennen would do with the memory, when the truth had been revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, you’ve just read a story where Zed and Kennen took a selfie. They took a selfie. Exciting!


	18. Ionia: Kinkou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Shadow being judgy about Balance. Nuff said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To better understand the context of this chapter, I highly recommend you check out Shen's color text "True Neutral" (which isn't "True Neutral" at all, as the Shadow is eager to prove). The events in that story is considered canon (and not the Jhin one 'cause I don't buy Zed giving in that easily).

“Kennen, where have you been?”

The Heart of the Tempest tucked his photos into his pocket.

“I was hiking,” he replied “is something wrong? I thought I had the day off.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” said Akali “you were not seeing ‘Shredder’ again, were you?”

Kennen sighed.

“Can we not talk about his existence right now?” he asked wearily. The yordle was stiff miffed how Shredder denied him the chance to prove his existence (never mind the fact how he was outplayed, _again_ ). Why would he not want to be seen? Why would he want to remain forever in the shadows? “Is there something wrong?”

Akali sighed.

“It’s another.”

Kennen grimaced.

“Is Shen seeing to it?”

“Yes. Witness report was from almost 2 days ago. And we’ve just seen to one yesterday. This is getting out of hand.”

The yordle nodded.

“We should be ready. If the Eye needs us…”

Akali crossed her arms.

“All of this could be better if he’d let us help. Going against an entire realm is frankly…”

“He believes it to be his duty. There’s little we can do.” Kennen said rationally. He did not completely agree with Shen’s opinion, but as he stated, the man would not have it another way. The other realm was his battle. None other should have to bear it. None other _could_ bear it.

The Fist of Shadow looked down at her friend, and a rare smile appeared on her face.

“That friend ‘Shredder’ of yours,” she said “whether he’s real or not, he seems to be helping you a lot. That’s a good thing, actually. I just wish… that Shen could also have a friend like that – someone to stay by your side just because you’re you.”

Kennen wasn’t exactly sure that was the kind of “friend” Shredder was to him. It seemed to be the other way round - that was, if they could be called friends. Nevertheless, Kennen liked him and wanted to help him. The obstinate jerk just wouldn’t let him.

“Yeah,” he answered simply.

“Besides, your skills have improved drastically this past month. Does he have something to do with it?”

“Yes, actually, he…”

A bright pillar of light erupted across the horizon, interrupting Kennen’s story (which might’ve been better, because if he had told Akali that Shredder was proficient –screw what the man claimed – in every arts of the Kinkou, she’d really have sent him to a mental ward). Both ninjas turned to look at the source of the light. They could hear cries echoing through the air, of pain and agony. The odd thing was, they did not belong to men. They belonged to the spirits. Their world was crying out.

Akali and Kennen stood, appalled. It was the first time they’d seen an invasion done from _this_ side. They recognized it as a form of exorcism.

“Those fools!” cried Akali. Whoever was doing the exorcism had no idea what they’d committed. Their actions could have angered those of the other realm. It would only worsen the situation.

Kennen watched the scene from afar quietly. Indeed, it was ill to actively antagonize the Balance. And humans’ effects on the two worlds were much more severe than that of the spirits. Yet… could they really be blamed? They were pushed to the point of having to fight back, _because_ the Kinkou itself failed to preserve the integrity of both worlds. They were defending their own livelihood, so that their people would not have to suffer from the spirits’ hands. How could they have cared about the Balance, when their lives were being threatened?

_I don’t believe in Balance, Kennen. If such thing does exist, it is not something anyone gets to decide._

Was Shredder actually right? Was it wrong for one to fight back? Was it wrong for one to go on the offensive, seeking a proactive way to ensure their survival? If they could not even do that, was Balance not a lost cause?

These exorcists were going to die – the Eye would see to it. Nevertheless, for the first time, Kennen began to wonder if they were fighting a losing battle.

* * *

 

The Seventh had been noisy, as usual.

It was never really difficult spotting where his brother would strike next – he was a being with little imagination, anyway, and was never really good at staying low. He was really predictable, and coming from the Shadow himself, that statement was saying something. The Fifth Demon wondered if his invasive sibling had at least an ounce of elegance and patience that Beatrice possessed, would his plans for world domination have gone off successful long ago.

He sneered. Well, one could not have everything. When time hadn’t come, you could not make it come faster. When it had, there was no way to avoid it. There was a sense of Balance in the world he believed in – it was that everything had its moments. If you were not meant for something, try as you might, that thing would never be for you. Such was the true equilibrium of things – the cruel sense of fairness this land wrought upon the people who walked it. It was not meant to be _enforced_ , or _upset_.

Or was it?

Considering the current state of the world, was it now the time for the End?

The Shadow watched from afar as six demons emerged from the breach, hungry for preys. His eyes dropped because of disappointment – these weren’t even the more interesting ones. His brother had always managed to send the weakest he could find, without fail. He’d thought that, thanks to Noxus, the Seventh would’ve been able to send stronger pawns through the breaches.

He could easily dispose of the incoming herd with a snap of his finger. But the Fifth held his ground, deciding not to step in. Why would he? He didn’t want to spoil the upcoming surprise for his little brother, and honestly, the fun had not even begun.

So the Shadow watched, as the spirits swept through a house. He delighted in hearing screams and cries, immersing in the feeling of helplessness and agony of the victims. They’d always made him alive. How he had missed this feeling! He was not exactly a fan of killing without an ultimate motive (even if he was quite liberal with any collateral damage), but such chaotic killing always appeased him. They were like music – enjoyable and ecstatic – to his ears. Powerlessness invigorated him.

His excitement soon died away, as he remembered he was not allowed to draw power from the Seventh’s wreckage. It was like looking at a feast from far away, yet unable to come in and join the fun, especially when he was craving. He swore inwardly, but did not move forward. The Seventh was not allowed to know, yet.

If only Zed – the idiot, would let him have his ways once in a while…

_Patience,_ the Shadow reminded himself. _When the time comes, I will have what I deserve._

His fun was not to last.

The Eye would be coming soon.

The Shadow smirked to himself. In the past month, he’d managed to map out the entirety of the new Order, thanks to the unwilling help of a yordle ninja. His master might not intend to make use of his newfound _friend_ (the fool he was), but the Demon was not gonna be so foolish. _Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer,_ they always said. The Shadow had tailed Kennen since his very first encounter with “Shredder”, and even if he was not allowed to act on this information proactively, having knowledge of his enemies’ whereabouts was always an advantage one shouldn’t miss (which made his master even _more_ stupid, but he digressed).

The new Kinkou Order confidentiality was impressive. They were no longer situated at one single location, instead having several secluded “refuges” across Ionia, where their followers were trained. The Triumvirate themselves also adhered to this principle – they moved constantly from one place to another with seemingly no traces. It took the Shadow nearly a month to obtain information on most of the “refuges”; the biggest one was actually in Zhyun’s neighborhood, where Kennen had met Zed for the first time (not within the province itself). The system was remarkably well maintained, yet far from perfect – had Zed been _really_ trying seriously, he would have figured it out long ago.

His master stupidity aside, the Shadow watched as one of the imps turned his path away from the rest and headed towards the water. He could make out a wreck down by the shore, hardly two days old. Continuing on what you started, huh, the Shadow mused. He regarded the stray imp with disinterest before picking his steps to follow the rest of the pack.

Demonic aura had already filled the air. They Eye should be here in… thirty minutes. Two centuries had gone by and Eyes were still pathetically slow.

In the meantime, he’d enjoy himself in these festivities. Perhaps he could snatch some amusement away when the imps weren’t noticing…

His steps faltered. Something was wrong. His every sense was warning him against treading further into the imps’ path. He frowned. It was not the Eye.

Then what was it?

His nose caught a sickening scent, and the Shadow’s mood soured. If there was anything he hated as much as the Eye, it was an exorcist – not as unbearable, but disgusting all the same. And there seemed to be several of them. The Shadow growled in annoyance. Exorcism could not hurt a Demon of the Seven severely, but its aftertaste was always disgusting to bear. If he stepped in, the smell would not wash away for weeks. The Seventh’s pathetic pawns weren’t worth such hassle.

His gaze turned towards the waters. _Lucky you,_ he mused, watching the creature tear apart another fishing boat, splitting it and everyone inside apart, _you delayed your death just a little bit today._

He ignored the others’ cries. _That is what you get, brother, when you send those without half a brain to do your bidding._

The Eye should be here soon.

The exorcists had finished with the invaders. The Shadow recognized they were holy men. Ironic occupation, he mused, considering the darkness he could sense in their hearts. Yes, though they hid it in righteous beliefs, these people were afraid of the ethereal realm – afraid, and hateful. Each of them had lost something to the Seventh. Each of them craved vengeance against the spirit world.

The intensity of such vengeance surprised the Demon. He could tell they had ill intentions. They were ready to act upon it, that night. He listened to their exchange with a frown – that was not a good idea, in any circumstance.

His eyes narrowed. He weighed his options. The Shadow wondered if he should step in, giving these mortals a quick, painful death before they could cause any further havoc with their hindsight. Humans always had a tendency of starting messes they could never finish.

Well, where was the fun in that?

So the Shadow stayed his hands. He watched the exorcists prepare their enchantments – impressive skills. They were going to create an intentional breach between the worlds. They were bringing war to the other side.

What would his brother have to say about _this,_ now?

The Demon smirked wickedly. Humans were always such an imbecile creature.

He reinforced his stealth again as he felt the familiar hum of a spirit blade. His grin only widened. Finally.

Exorcists, the Eye of Twilight, a stray imp, and an imminent war on two fronts? He wouldn’t miss it for the world.

* * *

 

The Shadow didn’t even bother observing the holy men’s deaths. Humans killing one another – he never had anything against it. In fact, they should keep doing that – Demons like him would really benefit from their deaths.

He wasn’t surprised by the Eye’s judgement. It was the same brand as those issued over centuries ago. The current Eye was nothing unlike his predecessors – unoriginal, unimaginative, and uninteresting. And blind, too, if he may add. Why his master would be so emotionally devoted to such an individual, he would never be able to tell.

He could not kill the Eye now – such a wasted opportunity, the man’s guard was down. Zed’s will prevented him from taking away the life of the enemy of the Seven. He checked his bindings again to see if it had loosened – if he could make use of the moment and deliver the strike. It had not. His master had every intention of keeping his old friend alive.

He rolled his eyes. Nothing to be done about that – he was indebted, after all, and not in control. The Eye’s death could wait. They both had a lot of time.

Instead, the Shadow preyed on the demon which the Eye chose to spare (it was a terrible decision, as always, but since he was feeling liberal – and hungry - he would help rectify it). Only now, _his_ hunt was on.

He promised the imp death – time to deliver it.

But death wouldn’t come so simple, oh no.

The creature finally faltered, thinking it was so safe. The Shadow sneered. What do you say when both sides of an escalating war were so incredibly _stupid?_

Soundlessly, he leapt forward and struck the creature in its guts. The creature almost screamed out in outrage and agony, but the Shadow was faster. He’d strangled it prematurely – only fragmented choking sounds came out from the imp’s throat.

The Fifth Demon grinned. This, _this_ was being _alive._ How he’d missed the feeling of being the superior, looking down on his helpless victims.

The creature squirmed under his touch, its eyes widening as it realized who its assailant was.

“It’s been two hundred years, huh?” asked the Shadow, looking down at the creature’s frightened golden eyes – what a disgrace. “Have you missed me?”

He loosened his grasp so the imp could reply.

“The… the Fifth!” it wailed pathetically “no… no!”

“Yes, it’s me. It’s not nice to lock me up two hundred years then pretend I do not exist.”

“No, please! Please have mercy…”

“Shut up!” the Shadow scolded, landing another blow “my little brother’s pawns have not improved the slightest bit, huh.”

The imp howled, unleashing its aura in an attempt to break free. The Shadow raised an eyebrow, amused, as his own power subdued the struggle. _Oh, they dare to resist now?_

“Maybe a little bit feistier, admittedly,” the Shadow smirked “but still not enough. How’s my brother doing? Still being a complete dunce, as usual?”

The demon squirmed again, denial in his eyes.

“Oh come on! You’re being pathetic! Well, you _are._ Hmm, perhaps I should kill you, no? You have nothing valuable I can use.”

“Please…”

“Does my brother treat you well? Is his cause really worth the effort for you?”

“Milord…”

“Come now!” another strike “I am not _your_ lord. Your lord is now chilling in his realm and not giving you any thought. He can’t, and he won’t, save you. Your survival is up to _me.”_

The creature had begun to smolder. It responded weakly at his command. The Shadow regarded it with disappointment. He hadn’t even started yet, and it was already dying?

“Or maybe not,” the Shadow smirked “in the end, your weakness is the only thing to blame.”

The Demon released the smallest bit of his power, and the helpless imp exploded, spreading black goo everywhere and disintegrating into dust.

Boring.

He turned around to make sure the Eye didn’t catch that outburst. He wasn’t likely to, of course – the remnants of the past invasion should be enough to mask his involvement. The Shadow looked at the remains of the imp again. That was his greeting to the Seventh. If he didn’t get it, which was likely, then there was nothing else he could do.

The Shadow closed his eyes. The border had weakened again – it’d been crossed twice today, from different sides. He had to admit his foolish brother was doing rather well. Perhaps next time he should step in himself.

The Eye had already left.

Another time, he promised, I will finish what _you_ started.

Then as soundlessly as he’d appeared, the Fifth Demon vanished.

* * *

 

The Eye of Twilight entered the room where the other two were waiting. They looked up at him warily. Shen knew what they were thinking. He had not drawn out his steel saber for the longest time – since the day the old Order fell.

He acknowledged them with a nod. There was no need for further musings. It had to be done. Balance had been preserved.

Akali was the first to break the silence.

“How are they… getting so strong?”

“I don’t know,” Shen replied truthfully. The Noxian invasion might have helped open many breaches, but the strength of each invasion hadn’t stopped growing since. Was the Seven Demon Clan finally serious in their move? He could not tell.

“If this goes on, one day you won’t be able to fend them off. If…”

“No,” said Shen. The Fist stayed silent. She’d learned. It was his battle. He had to do it, even if he couldn’t.

Kennen was staring at him with firm eyes.

“How’s Shredder?” he asked with the slightest of tease.

The yordle snorted.

“He certainly seems livelier than you are.”

“What a relief,” said Shen “you’re right, Akali. There’s been a change. We need to find out what it is.”

“How do you intend to do that?” asked Kennen “you said you would not enter the other Realm unless Balance had been disrupted. How do you plan on knowing what is on the other side?”

Indeed, appearing inside the Spirit realm unprovoked would violate the Balance. Shen did not intend to do that.

“That is not an option. However, my father… once mentioned a person who might know.”

This caught both of his allies’ attention.

“Who?”

Shen closed his eyes.

“There’s a place called _Aware_ ,” he said “where the two worlds converge. There’s an entity that lives there. The name is Ai. Because the entity lives in two places at once, she can see everything happening in both.”

“What… is she? A demon?”

“I don’t know. The records on Aware and its residents are very vague. Nevertheless, each and every generation of the Eye of Twilight insists on her existence (insisting on _not forgetting_ her existence). I will hold the same insistence.”

“But why?” asked Akali “what’s the reason to believe in an entity that one would not meet his whole life?”

“I have a bad feeling about this,” said Kennen “do we know, anything at all, about this ‘Ai’?”

“She’s said to be extremely powerful.”

“Great,” said Akali “all due respect, I don’t think that is helpful, at all.”

“Has there any Eye who has interacted with her?”

“My father might have…” Shen considered his replies “according to his words, Ai was capable of drawing out a person’s soul in the form of a spirit blade.”

…

“So we have a supernatural lady living in the place where two worlds converged who can draw out people’s souls. Am I getting that right? This is a very bad idea. Do we even know where Aware is?”

“No. but we can call upon it. My father gave me an amulet which will draw us to that world.”

Akali sighed.

“Do I even want to know how he’d got his hands on that?”

“It is a relic passed down between the Eyes.” Shen took out what resembled a red omamori. The words stitched on the fabric said “For the sake of the truth”.

“Looks like we are in need of some truths,” said Kennen “this being is omniscient, you say.”

“Wait up! How do you know she’ll provide us with answers? This could be a trap!”

“We’ll have to take this bet. This is the only way I can see.”

Kennen allowed himself to smile.

“You said ‘we’. This is a team effort, isn’t it?”

Shen smiled back softly.

“I’ll need back up. This is a dangerous effort. It is unwise to charge in blindly.”

“You can count on us.”

“I know that.”

He did not tell them, that Kusho had warned him against engaging with “Ai”. Even if he did not elaborate, he knew the being was potentially deadly.

But there was no choice. Balance had dictated. Ai would give him an answer, or he’d have to make her do.

 


	19. Aware: Ai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visiting your mother.

Aware: Ai

He truly didn’t like where this was going, he truly didn’t.

As the world around him began to spin, Zed had to resist the urge to groan. What now? Had he not said everything he needed to say – which wasn’t much to begin with – with his biological mother long ago? What else did Ai want to say to him?

Zed winced a little at the dissonance created from the transportation to Aware. If one could hear it, the sound would be really uncomfortable. After a moment, the distortion returned to normal, and he was standing in Aware. It made him relax just a little bit. This land had always calmed him: like its mistress, it was apathetic, plain and ever steady. It was hard to feel _anything_ strongly while within Aware. Therefore, he couldn’t even bring himself to be wary or evasive of this encounter: he was feeling perfectly indifferent. In retrospect, it was both a wonderful and terrifying state- without any particular emotion. Had Ai ever thought about such a prospect?

He walked past the path leading to the shrine where Ai often resided. Here’s the catch – the physical appearance of Aware can change. No one really knew what it actually looked like; the place’s appearance changed due to its mistress’s wish. The most common appearance was a classic Ionian shrine in the middle of nowhere, and it was the only form that Zed had ever seen, so it must have been Ai’s personal preference.

This time, Ai was standing at the door. She inclined her head just a little to acknowledge his presence. Ai had not changed much: dark colored hair, apathetic golden eyes, wearing the usual red kimono and carrying several katana. He could take a glimpse of the numerous spirits coursing under her skin, no doubt struggling in vain as they were slowly being absorbed, and subconsciously moved back a little. That must not be a nice place.

Zed stared back at her, slight annoyance on his face. Ai didn’t give a reply. She was in no place to hurry. The other, however, was beginning to feel agitated. He was a mortal, after all. Zed didn’t really want to know what was going on in her mind, but he was feeling a little unnerved by her scrutiny. He started.

“Why am I here?”

“I wanted to see you.”

He laughed. The Demon didn’t seem to find this any funny, or at least ironic.

“Well, what did you expect?” asked Zed.

Ai scrutinized him a bit longer before beginning.

“You’ve grown far more than what I expected you were capable of.” She began in a calm tone, against all his agitation. Zed frowned. Was that a compliment?

 _Probably not,_ he mentally reminded himself. _This is Ai. She does not give compliments._

“Do I have to ask: ‘why do you want to see me’?”

“Ask away,” said Ai, expressionless “if you feel inclined to.” She was still watching him, and the slightest disturbance occurred to her flawless features, as if something was wrong or missing. Zed didn’t catch it.

“You said so. Why…”

“Have you ever given Kamala control?” asked Ai suddenly.

Zed blinked.

“Err, who?”

“The Fifth,”

“Why do you call him that?”

“Kamala in an ancient language means ‘the horrible.” Ai explained “Have you?”

“No. Why do you ask?”

He could see Ai slightly frown. The Demon took a few steps forward, closing in on him.

“I can’t be mistaken,” she stated neutrally “you’ve given him control.”

“That’s… absurd. You’re wrong. If he had successfully possessed my body, why would he have returned it back to me?”

“I know that.” Ai agreed, her voice barely changing “Kamala has not told me of this event the last time he visited.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“Nevertheless, the truth is that he once took control. The circumstance around the possession and why Kamala gave up his post are up to debate. But I cannot be wrong.”

“That’s… not possible. You know the Shadow. He will never let anyone come back.”

“I am aware, yes. This matter will be further discussed with him. Nonetheless, I will ask you something, Zed. Are your memories incomplete?”

“Incomplete…?”

“You inherit the memories of a Demon, save for certain flaws. You do not forget anything you’ve seen. So I ask again: are your memories incomplete? Is there anything you cannot recall?”

The calming atmosphere of Aware couldn’t help lift the weight that came with the question. Indeed he’d forgotten the most atrocious action he’d caused. The thought made him wince. He looked up at Ai and replied.

“Yes, there is.” This made Ai seem a little bit more interested “I did not remember killing him.”

Ai was astonished beyond what he thought she was capable of.

“How did you know…?” he continued asking almost anxiously.

“I did not know. But now, I do.” She exhaled, and a smile graced her features “well played, Kamala. Well played.”

“Uhm, excuse me, but what?”

She turned to look at Zed briefly, considering her reply.

“I can tell you. But you will not choose to believe it.”

Zed rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, Lulu said that. The Shadow said that. Now it’s your turn, huh?”

“Truth is not a universal thing, Zed.” Ai began “every being has its own truth. What I consider true might not be to you. Truth is, after all, what you accept to be true. And you will not accept this to be the truth.”

“How can I know that if you won’t tell me?”

“Because that is the truth to me, and I will spare you unnecessary protests. There’s no need to tell you something you won’t believe in. If one day, you choose to see it differently, then you will figure it out yourself. You’re a smart child.”

He looked away, obviously peeved.

“Do you mind if I smoke?” asked Ai.

“No. Go ahead.”

The Demon of Aware summoned her usual pipe and inhaled, exhaling a faint puff of white smoke. It didn’t smell like tobacco, he realized. It was the smell of the woods he used to train in as a kid.

That was something new.

“I asked if you’d be uncomfortable.” Ai said “you were asking something, Zed?”

“Oh, yes: why do you want to see me? I take that it’s not about my memories.”

“No, that was unexpected. Why do you think Kamala has left you?”

He shrugged.

“Who knows? Like he said, he may have got bored of my endless angst,” Zed grinned jokingly “he never failed to inform me that the purpose of the Demon folk is hardly comprehensible by mortal men.”

“Ah indeed, that is the demonic pride,” said Ai “we fathom our purposes far away from mortals’ reach. That is both true and false.” She paused for a moment. “Have you ever thought that the reason he left you was so that you would not be consumed by your weakness?”

Zed laughed.

“I’m sorry, am I missing something?”

“The answer must be ‘no’, then. I’ve known Kamala for a long time, Zed. And he had never, ever left a victim as vulnerable as you are to his own devices, until now. Even if he does not say a thing, his presence will affect the host in his favor.”

“What do you mean by ‘affect’?”

“A Demon’s presence is capable of affecting human emotions based on their nature. The Shadow’s presence often affects one’s mood negatively, such as his nature. Do you not realize that without him, you have been more lighthearted, less angry and less _angst,_ as you’ve put it yourself, recently?”

He looked away a little in shame. He _had_ been enjoying himself too much.

“There’s nothing wrong with that. Those are your emotions. Mankind is not restricted to one emotion their whole life. Some people just happen to inspire certain emotions; that does not mean others aren’t as valid. Lightheartedness, anger, pain – they are all yours. Just because you do not always seem depressed does not mean your depression is not there.”

“You know what? You’re giving me a headache. And not many people are capable of such a feat. What were you trying to say again?”

He swore he saw Ai smiled.

“Kamala seems to like you.”

 _Well, duh, he chose me as a host._ Zed thought.

“He did not have a choice.” Ai added “he was the prisoner, and you his liberator. He’s indebted to _you,_ and not vice versa. You chose him.”

“Did you just read my mind?”

“Literally, no, but I can guess most of it from your face. As you can see from experience, my presence influences you to be frank and indifferent. Kamala favors you in a different way than his previous victims. That is something you should know.”

Personally, Zed still felt incredulous at this statement, but he chose to uphold Ai’s philosophy and let it slide. Ai had her own ways of perceiving reality. So did he.

“Is that, to me, favorable or not?”

“Whether it is favorable or not is up to how you act,” said Ai “a Demon’s loyalty can mean the best and the worst. Understand that the Demon of insecurities is selfish.”

He nodded.

“By the way, have you found the answer yet?” asked Zed.

“The answer to what?”

“Why must I not die?”

Her smile was vague as she heard this question.

“You were not satisfied with the one I have given you?”

“How could anyone be satisfied with such an answer?”

“If that is the best I can give you, will you be satisfied?”

What kind of inquiry was this turning out to be?

“You’re saying that it is the best conclusion you can come to.”

“Yes.”

Zed sighed.

“Then I have to accept it I guess. But _you_ can’t be satisfied with this answer!”

“Indeed, I was not. Nevertheless all efforts in determining why I want you alive turned out in vain. I simply want you to live, Zed, and nothing else.”

…

“Even if I don’t want to?”

“Do you not?”

“I… just hypothetically…”

“Yes, even if you don’t want to live, you must not die. As I have told you before, your feelings and affections do not affect me.”

He didn’t reply.

“Have you ever considered it?” asked Ai.

“…yeah, of course I have. But that is the coward’s way out. And I might be one, but not _that_ one. At least, at least I have to face what is brought upon me. I have to answer what I have wronged.”

“No, Zed – you are a courageous child,” said Ai. She was about to say something else, but abruptly stopped. Something seemed to have caught her attention. Her eyebrows slightly knitted together.

Zed looked around. Nothing seemed off. As he was born here, he had a pretty good idea when Aware stirred.

“What is it?” he asked.

“…nothing of import.”

An awkward pause…

“If you have no other questions, you may leave.”

Okay, that was the nail in the coffin. Ai had never deliberately asked him to leave. It was always him who would request to. There was definitely something going on, something that, he fancied, Ai thought it not _important_ to tell him.

Had she ever had any intentions?

“Aware welcomes you, anytime.” The Demon continued. “You’ve been an incredible child, Zed.”

He had a bad feeling about this.

“Goodbye, Ai.” He said, hoping his wariness missed Ai’s scrutiny. The latter didn’t seem to acknowledge it.

As the world of Aware began to blur away, Zed mentally reminded himself to watch out for its movement. Something was definitely out of the norms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, this is another chapter of conversations that likely does not push the plot anywhere. That's become my signature style or something. I wrote this one a while back but was caught up on a lot of things so did not really get to upload it. I've been procrastinating on this a whole lot and hopefully I will be able to continue with this from now on.


	20. Ionia: To Find an Eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We interrupt the highly anticipated confrontation between the Eye of Twilight and the First Demon of the Seven to bring you: your favorite in-house psychopath conversing with another psycho. (or close).  
> (And two Noxians in a library having tea).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha. I've promised myself to learn how to move the plot along without requiring an absurd amount of conversations. Look at the result.

It would seem that he was late, again.

Jhin strode through the fields littered with _destroyed_ spirits (for spirits could not _die_ anymore, could they?). He had never been intrigued by the creatures of the nether realm. Their flesh lacked the beauty and elegance of human flesh. Thus, it disintegrated too quickly for him to even try anything.

The Eye of Twilight had been very… thorough. Everything that could have been retraced to the facilitator of this massacre had been flawlessly and thoroughly cleared. Such was, perhaps, the only quality he admired in the line of the Eyes – their patient and methodical manner. It reminded him much of himself – how art was the manifestation of talent, patience, methods, and a bit of impromptu inspiration. This thought at the moment, however, did not elate him. The target had slipped again. He felt a quick bout of anger.

It quickly calmed, replaced by a mix of sadistic satisfaction and relentless resolve. Khada Jhin does not give up on expressing his beauty, oh no he doesn’t. The harder the challenge is, the more precious the final work becomes. As he had said, art required him to be patient. He would not be who he was at the moment if he weren’t.

Finding the Eye was his top priority at the moment. And Khada Jhin would find out where he was. He had hoped Zed, with his brilliance, would have had at least a clue, but it seemed Zed had been more sentimental than he had thought. Or perhaps he had known all along and had got very good at lying. Either way, Zed was a lost cause. In hindsight, he should have known this from the start. Zed was always fiercely loyal. That made the downfall of the Kinkou Order all the more questionable.

Right now, though, he needed to find a new method. And he was encountering quite the temporary roadblock this time.

There was no need to remain here any longer.

Jhin disarmed Whisper with the faintest of a sigh and was about to turn away.

Something had changed in the atmosphere.

_Someone is here._

He paused.

He’d have appeared exasperated if it was one of his client’s cronies. He had said, had given his word that what needed to be carried out should be carried out, _in due time._ Sometimes the client could be so droll. Then again, a part of him rationalized, they were not in it to appreciate beauty. They were in it to utilize the “collateral damage”.

It was a pity, anyway. He wished he could have found someone who understood, who appreciated, not those who only aimed to use. That did not matter to him, though. As long as he was able to be the director of what his subjects shall display, petty concerns like that never affected him.

But this did not seem to be the cronies. No, the presence was subtly dangerous enough to tell him this was an individual with quite the power.

“I expect you have something to say.” He spoke up, in his flat, businesslike tone, and was surprised to find a feminine voice, spoken in the same tone, replied from behind.

“Indeed I do, Khada Jhin.”

In a flash almost too fast for him to catch, the woman reappeared in front of him again, standing a respectful five strides away. Jhin’s eyes rose, ever so slightly. This woman had estimated a pretty accurate safe distance away from him – from his lethal range. Did she do it just by seeing him for the first time? Or had she been keeping tabs on him, so to speak? The idea was as much thrilling as it was alarming.

He inspected the female figure claiming to have a statement. Her ensemble spoke of soldier, which he immediately concluded to be Demacian. A Demacian on Ionian land - that was quite the sight to behold. Demacia had never cared about anything except itself (and _justice,_ Jhin supposed). She appeared plain, but her amber eyes were unnaturally sharp. Thus, she reeked of an unseen threat. This girl was the kind of person no one expected to be dangerous, and Jhin, an expert at misleading other humans, understood that such people were the one to look out for the most. He was one of them, after all.

“I’ve become quite famous, have I not?” he asked, this time with an interested tone. He wondered if the girl would humor him.

Indeed she would, as expected.

“ _Quite_ famous? You are underestimating yourself. I thought artists don’t swing that way.”

A touch of flattery could never go wrong.

Perhaps in another situation, he would entertain himself with the girl and then remake her into something more gorgeous, more magnificent than what she chose to exhibit about herself. But that day was not the time. His mind had already been occupied. And he doesn’t work when his mind is occupied.

This time, his revenge would double as the finest masterpiece. And so he must make haste.

“If you have a message, I expect it to be delivered.” He demanded swiftly. All the messengers before had always strived to make haste in front of his presence. He soon discovered that this one was one of a kind.

The messenger grinned, a plain display of arrogance and confidence.

“The name’s Laina,” she introduced herself “Interesting. You are quite a person to behold, aren’t you? My expectations weren’t for naught.”

He quickly found himself annoyed by this display of confidence, and considered reaching his weapons.

“But also more spontaneous than I had thought. Very intriguing, indeed,” Laina finished with the same expression, confidence and a touch condescending. This girl was trying to get on his nerves.

And she had been pretty good.

But Khada Jhin had not spent half his life being an actor for naught.

“Satisfying the audience is what I live for,” he said, bowing his head in a dramatic manner. “I hope your curiosity has been sated. If you have nothing to offer, I may suggest you disappear before I make you do.”

“I’m not a potential subject?” asked Laina mockingly. She was now handling what looked like a metal retractable telescope. “I guess I should be happy. The Virtuoso, I am a messenger from Noxus.”

Noxus?

Despite himself, Khada Jhin began laughing. He hadn’t heard quite the joke like this before. This girl deserved an award.

Laina’s face was still passively smiling.

“You are a Noxian?” he asked.

“No. Indeed your profiling ability is amazing. I am not Noxian, but I carry a message from Noxus.”

Ah, now this would pique his interest.

“Then you are a Demacian traitor,” he assessed “surprising.”

“My mistress would like to request a bargain.”

Jhin allowed himself a few seconds of silence to connect the words “Noxus” and “Mistress” together. As far as he was concerned (as far has his clientele was concerned), Noxus was currently led by a man. A female figure had never been mentioned between them as a person of power in Noxus. It was not that he particularly minded. Striking a deal with him would not be easy. He hoped “Laina” had already realized that.

“Your mistress?” he asked.

“Yes, my mistress,” Laina replied dutifully “she believed she held something to your interest.”

“And who may your mistress be?”

“Does it matter?” asked Laina.

Jhin found himself musing over the same question. As much as he was rather curious about this ‘mistress’, it never mattered to him much who did what. The performance was all that he cared about.

“I suppose not. But claiming to hold something to my interest is rather bold, for anyone. What shall the offer be?”

“My mistress would like to you to cease all of your activities in Noxus.”

Jhin chuckled. Had he scared the Noxus Council that much?

“The price for your cooperation is the location of the Eye of Twilight.”

Far in the distance, the crows’ cries could be faintly heard.

“How can I believe you?”

“Someone like you need to do that?”

“My mind may function, in your words, _abnormally_ , but I am certainly not mad and definitely not stupid. There is no fool who would enter a bargain that does not guarantee rewards.”

The Demacian girl frowned.

“Wait, you are saying that you’re not mad?” she asked, seeming honestly surprised.

Jhin felt a wide smirk forming at his lips. He wagered it would look mad, almost.

“Who knows?”

Laina shrugged.

“I don’t. I imagine if I were you I’d take the deal,” she extended the length of the telescope. It was clearly the messenger’s weapon, though Jhin did not quite understand how one could utilize such item offensively. Maybe Laina’s combat method is clubbing people to death with a telescope? That was a bit unlikely and grossly ineffective, for someone who seemed to be lean and acrobatic. “It’s more fun that way.”

“Interesting,” said the Virtuoso. This was strange. He was developing some kind of interest outside of his art. Nevertheless, the girl made him curious. Khada Jhin, in all his years at work, had always considered himself a meticulous and discreet man. He had believed his showcases had led people to believe it as well. Apparently not everyone thought the same way “do enlighten me. Why do you think so?”

Laina was confused for a moment, but her default cautious face slipped back quickly. She was quite professional, despite that age.

“I did not think you would ever ask that.” She admitted, “Isn’t it obvious? It is a win-win for you. You apparently are not picky of people you kill…”

“I make them beautiful. Death is a byproduct.”

“Whatever,” Laina continued “that means ceasing your works in Noxus does not really harm your portfolio at all. If the information you get is correct, there will be no problem. If it isn’t, no one is really stopping you from going there again and pissing those who deceived you off.”

 _That was a fair point,_ Jhin thought, a bit begrudgingly.

Laina’s left eye narrowed. Only then did Jhin realize that her right eye was apparently artificial – it stayed wide open, focused solely at where he was standing.

“Or are you for _hire_ now, Virtuoso of Death?” she asked, with a cheeky grin. “Art is now for sale, huh?”

“If you think you can provoke me so easily, you have not learned quite enough, Laina,” Jhin brushed the taunt off, but the mocking tone remained in his mind. _Art is now for sale, huh?_ As irritating as she was, Laina was right. He was being seen as a weapon rather than an artist, for his power-raving clientele. He did not really have a problem at first – art did need a few sacrifices, and adhering to some rather generous rules given by his benefactors was the most mundane he had ever had to make. But then, it had begun feeling rather… mediocre. Doing those men’s dirty work did not elate him as much as it had used to (he was pretty desperate to _work_ then, having just been freed from captivity). Perhaps it was because he had been captivated by the thought of revenge. Inspiration did strike randomly, and once the call was made, he would never ignore it.

Thus, he _knew_ for a fact that his clients were simply pathetic existences. The fact that they complied so eagerly with his release spoke volumes of that. They would do anything in the world to attain power (ah, such a superficial thing), and then would grow comfortable enough (soon) to believe they were above being taken down by the very thing they had wrought. They were… quaint.

On the other hand, what he could do with the new Eye… there was yet words he could find to describe how pleasant that would be.

He would feel alive.

The choice was obvious. Whatever dirty work his clients wanted done in Noxus, it would have to wait, indefinitely (Jhin _is_ a person who holds onto his words, however unlikely that may seem). They did have more than enough underlings to throw around.

They can wait. Or he would make them do.

“That was worth a short,” answered Laina with another indifferent shrug. Her fake eye still bore eerily into his position. “That’s all I’ve got, really. You’re in?”

The Virtuoso blinked.

“You are not going to pressure or threaten me into it?” Wasn’t that what Noxus would likely do?

“That was not part of the order. And as I said, the biggest benefactor from this deal is you.”

“That is not how people do things, and you know it,” he paused “I do agree that I don’t have to care about how your side benefits from the deal.” He stared up at the woman “How were you able to find out his position?”

“You’re asking as if I know that,” Laina shrugged “my mistress does not tell me everything, you know. That’d be very bad _intelligence._ ”

“…then you are simply a pawn?”

Laina regarded him with another curious glance.

“You sound disappointed.”

“You are not a stupid or a blind girl. I did not take you for someone who simply takes orders.”

“Well, as you can see, I failed your expectation, did I not? I am merely a pawn, and I know my place. Unlike you, treading carelessly can get me _killed._ I’m not into _that.”_

“What a terrifying employer,”

“It is fortunate you don’t seem to be in the same boat,” Laina agreed. “I have no idea about her designs, nor do I have the slightest wish to find out. I am simply a piece to be moved on the board. I have to play my part perfectly.”

The smirk that appeared on Laina’s face held quite the psychotic charm.

Jhin found himself returning the expression.

“I am sure you are putting up a magnificent performance,” not that your performance would lead you anywhere, but good effort deserved to be praised. “I’m in.”

Laina blinked, with both of her eyes.

“You are?”

“I’ve done my part splendidly, amazing an audience member,” Jhin mused in a sing-song voice “Yes, I am in. If the information you give me about the Eye of Twilight is valid, I will not put a foot inside your nation” _for now, anyway. The world is vast. I have more than enough canvases for a lifetime_. “I presume that is all of the deal.”

“Yeah, that’s it.” Laina confirmed casually, as if this was her day job. Apparently she did not have problems working overtime. The girl reached into her pocket and pulled out an envelope sealed by black wax. The pulse of power inside the item immediately reached Jhin, and his eyes widened in genuine shock.

He recognized that aura. It was demonic. A Demon had crafted it, whatever it was.

Noxus was under control of a demon?

He was almost tempted to ask Laina, then realized he never gave a damn anyway. He reached out with a hand and Laina reappeared closer to him and placed the envelope into his palm, before retreating back to a safer distance.

A Demon never lies.

His prize was guaranteed.

On close inspection, the insignia sealed onto the wax was that of a rose.

A black rose?

Laina proceeded to give him a deep bow.

“It was a pleasure doing business with you, Virtuoso.”

The Virtuoso returned the gesture with a salute.

“Thank you,” he said, with sincerity. He had not met such an interesting being in the longest time. “It has been most pleasant. I hope your mistress also benefits from this deal as much as I have.”

He half expected the girl to disappear with magic, but she simply gave him a grin and turned around, walking away. The Virtuoso turned around and walked in the opposite direction. When he was sure she was out of range, Jhin pulled out the envelope and broke off the seal.

The black aura escaped from the pouch concentrated and became a raven with bloody eyes.

If anyone had seen his face then, veiled by the dark, they would come to face with a truly maniacal grin.

_I win._

* * *

 “Vladimir, can I have a word?”

The Hemomancer tore his eyes away from the shelf he was currently browsing to come face to face with the Black Rose’s hextech specialist, Ellen Paige. She stood about two feet away, hands crossed with a face meaning business. That did make the man curious. Paige had always preferred to keep mostly to herself, busying herself tinkering with various mechanical parts or browsing through papers relating to her studies. He had rarely seen her converse with any fellow mages; she only seemed to be talkative around Laina, and the Demacian scout hardly appeared at Noxus due to the nature of her work. Personally, Vladimir found it amazing she could keep herself so occupied with technical reports and paraphernalia, but different people have different things that make them tick.

Despite seemingly an introvert, Ellen Paige did not appear awkward or shy when she approached him. Just like him, she may not like associating with a lot of people, but that did not mean she was social-awkward and wasn’t capable of some common courtesy.

“Of course, Paige,” answered Vladimir politely, tucking the book he was holding back into the shelf. He was rather curious what she would have to talk about.

Paige gestured towards her table, which was surprisingly clear of papers and machines. Instead, there was a tea tray with a teapot, two cups, a creamer and a sugar container. Apparently, Ellen Paige preferred to be a hospitable and agreeable host.

That was fine with him.

Paige took the time to pour tea into the cups and asked.

“Do you take milk? Sugar?”

“Thank you, I would insist on taking it myself.”

She placed the cup in front of him then took a seat. Vladimir took a little milk and a sugar cube. Paige took her tea plain.

As soon as she had taken a gulp, Ellen Paige went straight into business.

“The Matron has struck a deal with the Virtuoso.”

“…That was out of nowhere.”

Ellen Paige stared at him curiously.

“Are you not investigating that case?”

“My involvement with the case is over,” Vladimir informed her “or so I was informed.” LeBlanc did not specifically state he was no longer allowed to interfere, however.

“But _you_ are still interested, are you not?”

Vladimir considered that for a second.

“I’d hear it out if you are willing to offer the information.” It never hurt to know more.

“Laina was appointed to deliver the message. I assume she would have found him by now,” she stirred her tea with a spoon, out of habit or tension, Vladimir couldn’t tell. “She wanted Jhin out of Noxus.”

“It isn’t like LeBlanc to be so tame,” Vladimir asserted.

LeBlanc would never strike a deal where she would not get the upper hand. Was she this wary of the Virtuoso?

“So, what did she offer on her end?”

“The location of the Eye of Twilight” was the answer.

The first thought that crossed his mind upon receiving this news was: _Damn, Zed is not gonna like this._

“And how did she come by such a thing?”

“It was Beatrice.”

“Beatrice decided to help her?”

“They are in cahoots.”

“It’s not that,” Vladimir explained, “I was led to believe that Beatrice would avoid Ionia at all cost.” That was not surprising, considering that Beatrice was a Demon of the Seven.

“Fairly speaking, Vladimir, Noxus has trodden too far to just ignore Ionia for now. I guess even Beatrice realized that.” Ellen argued. “Laina came by to greet and tell me her mission. She is largely unaffected, the perfect soldier, as usual. But I am not Laina.” The hextech specialist’s eyes narrowed. “I am a scientist. I am not a soldier. I question my orders and seek the most appropriate response. And I can tell you this is not going to turn out well.”

She reached under the desk and threw a file onto its surface.

“Any fool crazy enough to use _that_ weapon cannot be trusted.”

Vladimir skimmed it over. It was the blueprint of “Whisper”, filled with various handwritten notes by the hextech specialist. They mostly appeared like gibberish to Vladimir – scientists didn’t really have readable handwriting, in his opinion, and Paige’s system of shorthand was foreign to him. Yet he did make out some words like “insane”, “wasteful”, “what the heck did they think?” and so on. They managed to convey Ellen Paige’s opinions clearly.

“I see what you mean.” Vladimir spoke complacently “But Laina has a point, you know. We are not in place to defy LeBlanc’s decision.”

“I know that. I am not stupid.” Ellen Paige declared. “I just thought you would like to know. Did you not have an Ionian friend interested in the Virtuoso?”

“My acquaintance with him was under LeBlanc’s order.”

“Doesn’t really negate my statement,” Paige retorted, refilling her own cup.

Vladimir ignored it.

“It is rather generous on your part, however. Am I expected to return the favor, sometimes?”

“Gods, no,” Ellen Paige laughed sharply. “You are looking at this like a paranoid conspiracy theorist. To think about it, that is basically every freaking person in this organization save for me. Being the only person with a normal mind here is such a pain.”

“I think I am looking at it like any naturally discreet person. Have you ever heard the phrase ‘too good to be true?’?”

The scientist grinned.

“You are a pessimist, aren’t you, Vladimir?”

“I call it being realistic.”

“Whatever appeases you, Hemomancer,” Paige waved a hand at him dismissingly “Thank you for paying attention to me.”

With a flick of her hand, a full set of machinery and tools appeared out of nowhere in front of her. She returned to her work without another word. Vladimir took it as his cue to return to his business as well.

But Ellen Paige had ruined it for him. He had come and expected some recreation from the libraries of the archives. Instead, he got pulled back into a case he thought he had been done with.

To be completely honest, he wasn’t that _done_ with the Virtuoso as he had outwardly claimed. He was just waiting for the Master of Shadows to swallow his pride and actively ask for his input. Why? That would be fun.

(Yes, he was quite a prick, could you not tell?)

Well, he mused, for once he would act like a normal person with common sense. It was time he wrote a letter.

Vladimir sighed, stepping out into a darkened Noxus.

Zed was not gonna like this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, I want to thank everyone who stuck around with this mess of a story of mine. I am glad I was able to captivate your interest with my awful talkative narrative. I am aware though that the beginning which set the premise for this story was shabby, and I will get to revising and rewriting that one so it would fit better with the narrative. Some day.  
> Here is more information on my two Black Rose babies.  
> On Laina: Laina is a Demacian who serves as a scout of the same empire, but at the same time she was an agent for the Black Rose (she appeared at the beginning of _Noxus: Beatrice_ ). That, of course, means she is a mage, and her ability is to create an explosion at a point in space she focuses on. It explains the reason her weapon is a telescope: it is so that she can focus better and deliver attacks from far away. Her character is conceived to be someone who is intelligent, capable but lacks the motivation to aim for the top, to put it simply (basically, a much more badass version of me). One of her eyes is artificial and can be kept open even while the other is closed so that she can use her powers anytime, and she kept it homed on Jhin because she perceived him to be a threat (she may not outwardly act that way, but she is also paranoid).  
> (Oh, speaking about mages, Demacia has been retconned into a nation that fears, to the point of irrational paranoia, magic. I guess that means the current story for Laina is gutted).  
> On Ellen Paige: Ellen Paige is a mage, but instead of learning to cast spells and flashy stuffs, she creates and utilizes hextech inventions and power them with her innate magic talent (hextech is basically machines powered by magic crystals). She used to study Techmaturgy at Piltover and received a mysterious invitation to come work at Noxus. Ellen Paige is an introvert who prefers her research to social interaction, and hardly converses with many of her colleagues. But she does have a strong spirit and is not afraid to step out of her comfort zone. She and Laina were assigned to be partners, and Ellen was the person who crafted Laina's eye.


End file.
